Destiny Defied
by clowie27
Summary: After devoting two years of your life to "your destiny" what happens when that destiny is threatened. How will you find yourself again?
1. Disclaimer

This story takes place approximately two moths after the end of The Stars season. All of the Senshi make an appearance throughout this story, but it's mainly about Usagi and exploring her darker and rebellious side to her personality. Vampires are also present in this story, but you'll have to read the story to find out more.

Disclaimer:

I do not own Sailor Moon.

I reference Buffy The Vampire Slayer in this Fanfiction, and sadly I do not own Buffy.

Now the characters I have developed are loosely based off of the True Blood vampire mythology but involve none of the characters from the show.

The Twilight series is mentioned, but purely for mocking purposes.

Reviews are welcome and encouraged. If the review is to criticize my story please be constructive and respectful. Thank you.


	2. Prelude

Prelude

It was 1 o'clock in the afternoon and she was still in bed. Actually, Usagi had been in bed for the last two days getting up only to use the bathroom. She had told her mother that she was sick when she inquired why she was still in bed. A bowl of uneaten chicken soup sat on the table next to her as proof her mother had bought the lie.

Usagi felt it difficult to breath. She felt as if someone was slowly placing an ever-increasing amount of stones on her chest. Her eyes were dry from all the tears she wept and now she was in a cationic state. Two days ago her life had been changed forever.

Two days ago it was like any other day. She had left Rei-chan's house after having a beginning of summer party. It had been their last day of their first year of high school. The Starlights had left two months prior and she had spent those two months reconnecting with Mamoru. Mamoru had picked her up for their movie date that evening. This would be their last date for a while because the American University had accepted him again to study abroad. He was to leave the following evening to attend summer classes to make up for the time he missed the following year.

Usagi was sadden that she could not spend the summer with Mamoru, but she wanted him to fulfill his dream to study abroad and eventually become a Doctor. Usagi had no doubt that this time would be different and his absence would not be so oppressive.

Usagi looked over to Mamoru as he drove them to the theater. He seemed so quite and distant. Not that this was abnormal for him. Mamoru was always quite and very studious by nature. He wasn't particularly social as compared to Usagi, but still well liked by many.

"What movie are we going to see?" Usagi asked in attempt to break Mamoru's silence.

"I'm not sure. I thought we would just pick movie when we arrived" Mamoru said before returning to his pensive state.

Usagi was getting a strange energy from Mamoru and she could not figure out what it was. It seemed like he was trying to hide something from her. Usually when they were alone he was affectionate and warm, but tonight it seemed like he was trying to keep his distance. Usagi put aside her uneasy feelings and attributed his behavior to the fact he was leaving tomorrow.

On the ride home from the movie Usagi focused on the road in front of her trying to avoid staring at Mamoru. Throughout the movie Mamoru did not seem to be watching the movie. He seemed to be trapped in his own mind. By the end of the movie Usagi was becoming increasingly anxious about Mamoru's behavior.

When Mamoru pulled up to Usagi's house he turned off the car and took a deep breath. The tension with in the car had reached its peak and Usagi couldn't take it anymore.

"What's wrong Mamo-chan? You're not acting like yourself. " Usagi asked with a mixture of sadness and fear in voice.

Mamoru shifted in his seat so he was face to face with Usagi. His dark brown eyes met her blue eyes and with slight quiver in his voice he revealed the cause of his pensive state. " I have been thinking a lot over the past two weeks. I will be in America for at least a year and I'm having doubts about the situation."

Usagi listened with intensity and was hoping to hear that Mamoru would not be going to America and instead would stay in Tokyo to finish his studies.

" From the moment I have met you our destiny was set. We were meant to be together because we were once Prince Endymion and Princess Serenity and were incarnated into this century. I accepted this and for the most part have been very happy. I love you very much, but I need some time a lone to evaluate my feelings and make sure I'm with you for the right reasons. I should be with you because I love you and want a future together and not because it was meant to be. I'm going to spend this summer exploring my feelings and make sure I'm in this relationship for the right reasons."

Usagi sat shocked at what she was hearing. Other than tonight there had been no signs that Mamoru was having doubts about their relationship. "Where is this doubt coming from Mamo-chan? This seems so sudden and out of character" Usagi was doing her best to keep in control and not break down right in front of Mamo-chan, but she could feel as tears began to fall down her face.

Mamoru had a tortured yet determined look on this face. " I don't think I can explain my thoughts to you in a way that will satisfy you. All I know is that I need this time alone. I will contact you at the end of the summer."

Usagi shook her head slowly and she opened the car door. To her own surprise said "Ok" before leaving the car and walking into her house without looking back.

On the table next to her bed was one of her favorite pictures. The picture was of Mamoru, Chibiusa, and her smiling in the park on a Sunday afternoon. Usagi remembered that Chibiusa and her had been fighting as usual that day for Mamoru's attention. Even though it would appear to any stranger who saw this interaction that they hated each other this picture showed the truth. They were a happy family. Usagi could feel another wave of sadness envelope her. Maybe there would be no family and suddenly Usagi was starting to wonder what destiny had in store for her.


	3. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Rei Hino walked down a street on her way to Usagi's home. She had called around 10am to see if Usagi was home, but her mother said she was sick. Rei knew that was not true and that Usagi was sad because Mamoru had left for America. Rei had felt guilty that when Mamoru was missing she never knew that Usagi had not heard from Mamoru. Usagi had hid her anxiety and sadness well. It was only when she broke down in Seiya arms that the truth was revealed. Rei had been hurt and angry with Usagi for keeping such a secret. Even though they fought often, Usagi and Rei were very close. People often had mistaken them for sister due to the bickering nature of their relationship. This time Rei was determined to be there for her friend and provide the support and distraction she needed.

Rei knock on the front door of Usagi's house and was answered by Usagi's Mother.

"Good afternoon Rei." Usagi mother said with a smile. "Please, come in."

Rei walked inside and bowed to Mrs. Tsukino. "Good afternoon Mrs. Tsukino. I'm here to check on Usagi."

"Oh, good. She could use a friend right now. I believe the worse of her cold is over. It might help if you can get her to take a shower and maybe get her out of this house. Fresh air would be good for her." Mrs. Tsukino said with a smile.

"Don't worry Mrs. Tsukino. That's why I'm here today. Ami, Makoto, Minako, and I are going shopping and I came here to get Usagi."

"Oh, that's great" Mrs. Tsukino said while dusting a table in the living room. " You're such a good friend. She will need that while me, her father, and brother go away for the summer. I will give you the responsibility to get her to the summer classes she signed up for."

Rei had totally forgotten about the Tsukino family vacation to America. They were going to be there for close to 3 months visiting family, friends, and touring the countryside. Usagi at the time thought Mamoru was going to stay in Tokyo for the summer and she had planned to stay at his apartment for the summer. She had signed up for summer classes to improve her standing in school and that is the only reason her family agreed to let her stay behind. When Usagi found out that Mamoru was actually leaving for school in American she tried to back track and go on vacation with her family. This did not go over well because her mother said she needed to learn responsibility and since she had signed up for classes she was to stay home and go to class.

"You have my word that Usagi will be safe and will attend every summer class." Rei said with a wink.

Rei walked up the stairs and knocked on Usagi's door. There was no response so Rei walked inside. The room was dark with all the blinds shut and dank. Rei's heart sank as she felt Usagi's negative energy radiating through the room.

"Usagi-chan are you awake" she called into the darkness, but the only response was a grumble. It was time for a little bit of tough love. Rei turned on the light causing Usagi cower in a fetal position under her comforter. Rei walked over to Usagi's bed and sat on the edge. She then grabbed he top of the comforter and ripped it off Usagi body. Rei's nose wrinkled at the stench that was released when she removed the comforter. Usagi had obviously not showered for two days. She laid in a fetal position and her hands shielded her eyes from the light.

" Ok Usagi-chan. You need to get up, take a shower, and eat". Rei said in somewhat nagging tone. Rei was expecting some response to the mention of food but again there was no response. Rei sighed and looked around the room. She noticed a glass of water on the table. Desperate times call for desperate measures Rei thought as she picked up the glass and poured it over Usagi's body.

Usagi bolted up and stared at Rei before pouncing on her. Usagi pinned Rei down by her shoulders. "What are you doing?

"Waking that fire that is inside you." Rei said with a smirk before flipping Usagi over and pinning her to the bed. " You need to stop sulking and get moving. Mamoru will be back before you know it. In the mean time your friends will keep you distracted." Rei let Usagi go and pointed to the door. " Now go take a shower. We are going to the mall to meet Makoto, Minako, and Ami."

Usagi looked at the door and then looked at Rei. She was conflicted. A part her wanted to tell Rei everything that happened that night with Mamoru. How he had broken up with her and how she didn't fight to keep him. To be honest the other part of her did not want to Rei because she would ask why she did not fight and she wasn't sure why she didn't. Also, how do you tell someone that has died multiple times for her Prince and Princess that it might have been in vain? Usagi gave Rei a nod and went to the bathroom to shower.

The rest of the day was filled with shopping and fun. Usagi was enjoying being with her friends and she was surprised how much their presence eased her pain. After they were done shopping they all went to Rei's shrine to have a Buffy marathon.

They were currently watching the episode Innocence. Minako was in the middle of discussing her love for Angel.

"He so dark, mysterious, and handsome." Minako said, " I wish I was Buffy. Especially when they…"

"Minako" Ami said with embarrassment.

"What, who wouldn't want to be Buffy." Minako shrugged. Makoto and Rei nodded in agreement.

"I don't know I think Oz is cuter." Ami said in a quite voice.

Minako moved closer to Ami and with a mischievous smile whispered to Ami "You know Willow and Oz make love in season three."

Ami blushed at Minako's comment causing everyone to laugh. Usagi even had to laugh at Ami reaction. She knew that her friends were so shy/curious about sex because none of them had been in a serious relationship. Usagi had never told her friends, but she was no longer a virgin. That night when Galaxia was defeated was the first time her and Mamoru were together. It was a night of nervousness, desire, and ecstasy. Mamoru had been so careful to take it slow and be attentive to her needs. Thinking of the first time with Mamoru brought another wave sadness. If he were having doubts why would he take their relationship to the next level?

Usagi was broken from her thoughts by Makoto voice. "Oh this is so sad. I can't believe Angel would say this to Buffy.

Usagi watch the scene unfold o the TV.

Buffy: "oh my God, I was freaking out"

Angelus: "What? I took off"

Buffy: But you didn't say anything. You just left.

Angelus: Yeah. Like I really wanted to stick around after that.

Buffy: What?

Angelus: You got a lot to learn about men, Kiddo. Although I guess you proved that last night.

Buffy: What are you saying?

Angelus: Let's not make an issue out of it okay? I fact, let's not talk about it at all. It happened.

Buffy: I, I don't understand. Was it m-me? Was I not good?

Usagi could not watch anymore. This interaction between Buffy and Angel was hitting too close to home. Even though Mamo-chan had been respectful two nights ago when he broke it off, he still came off as distant and uncaring. "Ok guys I have to get home."

"Really? It's only 9:30". Minako whined.

"Yeah, it's time to go. Thanks for shopping and Buffy marathon."

"Don't forget about dinner at Haruka and Michuri's house tomorrow night. It at 7pm, but we'll plan to get there at 6:30. We are meeting here and taking bus there." Rei said.

"No problem. I'll meet you guys here tomorrow." Usagi said as she gathered her things and left.

Usagi wander through the streets of Tokyo on her way home from Rei's house. She really didn't have to leave so early, but she wanted to take the scenic route home to clear her head. It was a beautiful night and zig zagging through the back alleys was oddly calming. Usagi turned down one alley only to find it was a dead end. Not that it mattered to her she was in no hurry to get home. When she turned around and started walking back the way she came 3 men accosted her.

The first man was about Usagi's height and was lanky in built. The second man was slightly taller, but over weight. The last man was tall and muscular in built. Usagi was getting a strange energy from the three men. Like they were not human. She clutched her chest, but her broach was not there.

"Good evening little lady. What are you doing out so late and alone" The first man said with an evil grin

"Maybe she is on her way to see her boyfriend." The second man laughed.

"Well, that's too bad. Because she won't be making to her boyfriend's place. I can't let something so tasty walk away." Opening his mouth just slightly Usagi could see his upper canines were longer than normal.

Usagi stepped back and grabbed her purse readying her self to use it as a weapon. The first man lunged forward with lightening speed grabbing Usagi by the neck and pinning her against on the buildings. Usagi felt as the man moved his face closer to hers and smelled her.

"You smell absolutely delightful" The other two stood back blocking the alley while watching.

"Let her go." Came a low voice from the opening of the alley. "You guys know the laws and this is illegal." Usagi was unable to see who was talking.

"Mind your business," said the overweight man.

"If your attacking innocent people then it is my business."

The two men blocking the alley turned around to face the new man interfering with their fun. They bared their fangs and moved closer to the man. "You don't know who you are messing with."

The man laughed revealing his own set of fangs. "No you don't know whom you are messing with" In a flash the man punched the tallest man in the face knocking him into a trashcan. He then blocked the punch of the second man before landing a punch to his face.

While fighting occurred in the alley way the man tightened his grip around Usagi neck. "I guess I will only get a taste". The man ripped Usagi shirt revealing her R shoulder. In an instant he plunged his fangs into her bared skin. Usagi screamed as she felt the fangs cut into her skin. Usagi felt energy build up inside her and before she knew it a crescent moon appeared on her forehead and began to glow. This caused the man to stop what he was doing a release her. Once he released her a bolt of energy shot forward striking him in the chest. The force propelled him into other building knocking him unconscious.

Usagi grabbed her shirt and covered her new wound. She looked to opening of the alleyway to see a man standing over two unconscious men. He had a look of shock on his face.

As he moved closer to her a street lamp revealed his features. He had strong cheekbones and a square chin. His eyes were blue and he had dark brown hair. He was muscular in built, wore tightly fitting black suit, and was Caucasian.

"Are you ok?" He asked moving closer to her very slowly.

Usagi clutched her R shoulder and looked across to the man that attacked her. "I think I'll be ok." She looked over to the man who tried to save her and noticed he had fangs like the others. "They were vampires….you're a vampire" Usagi said in an unsteady voice.

" Yes." The man said simply. "I won't harm you. We need to leave before they wake up." The man held out his hand and without thinking she took it. The man held her hand as they exited the alley. "Where do you live?" He asked gently doing his best to comforter her while she was in this state. She gave him her address and walked hand in hand with him until she was just outside her front gate.

"Thank you for your kindness." Usagi said while looking blankly at her house.

The man nodded and began to walk away.

"What's your name?" Usagi asked.

"Sebastian." He said before walking into the night.


	4. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Usagi had just said goodbye to her family as they left for the airport. She would have the house to herself for the entire summer. Summer class began on Monday giving her two days to relax. Usagi ascended the stairs walking to the bathroom to prepare for the day. Removing her clothes she stepped before the mirror to examine her wound. On her R shoulder was a deep abrasion with two puncture wounds. The abrasion was obviously the outline of someone's bite and was very tender to the touch. She knew she would have to pick her clothing out carefully to properly cover her wound.

In the shower Usagi thought of her experience the night before. She wasn't surprised vampires existed. She was only surprised that she had not come in contact with them earlier. With all the evil she had battled vampires did not seem like a challenge. Usagi rubbed her forehead where the crescent energy had appeared the night before. Were vampires the new evil she had to defeat before Crystal Tokyo became a reality? Was Sebastian an enemy masquerading as an ally? She knew only time would tell and whatever evil presented its self her and the Sailor Senshi would defeat it.

Usagi searched through her closet for just the right outfit to wear to the dinner party tonight. Normally she would have worn a sundress with a light sweater to the dinner, but she feared that would put her at risk of revealing her wound. If her friends saw her wound not only would they not let her out of their sights, but also she would not get a chance to learn more about this man named Sebastian. When Seiya and her became close Haruka and Michiru made it impossible to be alone with him. She knew they were only performing their duty, but it was very frustrating. She may be their princess they are supposed to protect but she believed she had the right to make her own decisions. The excuse they gave was that she was too soft and could not see the danger she was putting herself in. Sometimes she felt as if the other Senshi saw her as a liability unable to protect herself or others. She proved herself after every battle, but her childish ways in everyday life hid her warrior instincts.

Standing in front of her bedroom mirror she examined the outfit she settled on. She chose a light blue button down t-shirt with a matching blue flower skirt. It was nice enough for dinner, but too dressy that she could not go out to run errands.

"Wow. I always forget how beautiful their house is." Minako said looking at the Outer Senshi's mansion.

All five of the inner Senshi gazed at the Outer Senshi mansion with their mouths hanging open. The front door open and Haruka stepped into the doorway and leaned on the wall. "Are you guys going to come in or just stand on the doorstep all night".

Simultaneously all the inner Senshi were snapped out of their state of awe and greeted Haruka. " Good evening"

"Good evening, come inside" Haruka walked inside with the inner Senshi in tow.

The Outer Senshi's mansion was decorated simply and elegantly. Haruka escorted them into the living room where Hotaru sat on the couch with a game control in her hand.

"Hi, everyone!" Hotaru said. " Do you want to play Mario Kart with me and Haruka-papa?" Haruka sat next to her daughter and picked up her controller.

"I'll play." Rei and Minako said in unison joining Haruka and Hotaru on the couch.

Ami joined her friends on the couch and smiled at her friends' excitement. "I've never played, but I'll watch"

"I'm going to see if Michiru and Setsuna need any help with dinner," Makoto said as she walked to the Kitchen. Usagi followed Makoto in hopes she might get a taste of what was for dinner.

When Makoto and Usagi entered the kitchen the smell was mouth watering. Michiru was in a sundress and an apron. She was cutting vegetables and Setsuna was stirring something in a pot on the stove.

"It smells so good." Usagi said smiling and slightly drooling at the same time.

"Good evening Makoto and Usagi." Michiru greeted her guest. "What are you guys doing in the kitchen?"

"Well I came to see if you guys needed some help, but I'm not sure why Usagi is here." Makoto said with some suspicion.

"I'm here to help too." Usagi said while looking into the oven.

Michiru, Setsuna, and Makoto looked and Usagi with nervousness. They had seen her cook and she tended to make a big mess.

"Well, that is very kind of both of you." Michiru said while gently grabbing Usagi and pushing her towards the kitchen door. "but you guys are our guests and we would like you to relax before dinner. It's almost done so we'll be eating soon."

Makoto and Usagi returned to the living room to watch their friends play Mario Kart.

"You may be a professional race car driver, but your going down." Minako said defiantly.

Haruka laughed at the comment. She was in first place, Rei was in second, Hotaru was in third, and Minako was dead last. "That's big talk from the person in last place."

"Oh yeah, well take that!" Minako yelled as she hit one of her buttons on her controller. Suddenly all the other characters became small and Minako's character became fast.

"Ahh." Rei and Hotaru yelled at the same time. Minako sped past Hotaru just barely missing her.

" Don't you dare." Rei warned Minako. It was no use Minako went straight for Rei crushing her character flat. "Ugh. Minako your dead!"

"Bwahaha!" Minako laughed evilly. The characters return to their normal size leaving Haruka in first, Minako in second, Hotaru in third, and Rei last.

"I'm still in first" Haruka said in a cocky tone. Haruka then noticed a blue shell flying her way. "oh shi…" Haruka character exploded right in front of the finish line and Hotaru laughed mischievously. "Hime-chan? How could you?"

Minako took the opportunity to pass Haruka and cross the finish line. "I win! Take that Mrs. Professional race car driver." Minako began to do a little dance much to the amusement of the others.

" I would have won if it wasn't for this one." Haruka said and she pounced on Hotaru and started tickling her.

"Haruka-papa stop." Hotaru laughed as she tried to escape Haruka's tickle attack.

"I think some one needs a dip in the pool." Haruka picked up the squirming Hotaru and walked towards the double door that led to the back yard.

"No!" Hotaru screamed. "Michiru-mama will be mad at you if you ruin my dress."

"I don't care. I need revenge." Haruka laughed as she spun her daughter upside down and walked towards the door.

"Oh, so you don't care if I get mad?" Michiru said with her arms crossed.

Haruka stopped in her tracks and looked over her shoulder at Michiru. " Oh, Michiru I was just getting Hotaru ready for dinner."

Michiru raised her right eyebrow. "By dropping her into the pool?"

Haruka spun Hotaru around and placed her on the ground before mumbled something incoherent.

Michiru smiled knowingly. "Hotaru please help your Setsuna-mama set the table."

Hotaru was about to protest, but was given a stern look by Michiru which told her not to test the boundaries. Hotaru took off towards the kitchen to grab the plates and silverware.

"Dinner will be ready in 10 minutes everyone. The washroom is down the hallway and is the second door on the left. " Michiru said before returning the kitchen.

The dinner was like any other thing the Outer Senshi did. Well planned, refined, and perfect. The dining room consisted of a long Victorian style dining table, with a white lace table cover, and a chandelier for lighting. The table could easily fit all nine Senshi with room to spare.

The dinner consisted of escargot for an appetizer, salad, and pumpkin soup. The main course was Kobe beef medium rare, mash potatoes, and asparagus.

After dinner everyone retired to the living room to chat and play board games. They had just finished a game of trivial pursuit and now were relaxing and catching up.

Of course the topic of Mamoru in America came up.

" How is Mamoru doing in America?" Michiru asked

Usagi didn't want to lie to everyone, but she just couldn't tell them about the situation between her and Mamoru. She just didn't want to think about it. "He's doing well. Didn't get to talk to him too much because he is unpacking and preparing for summer classes."

"Well, I'm sure once he gets settled you guys will have a routine down." Michiru gave a sympathetic smile.

"In the mean time we are keeping her distracted." Minako said as she wrapped her arm around her and gave her a squeeze. Minako happened to hit her wound on her R shoulder causing her to wince.

Minako felt Usagi withdrawal and whimper. "I'm sorry Usagi. Are you ok?"

"Yes. I just clipped my R shoulder on a cabinet last night." Usagi saw the concerned faces that crossed everyone face. "No worries. It's just a little sore." Usagi excused herself to the bathroom.

Usagi closed the bathroom door behind her and looked at her wound in the mirror. It was a dark purple with moderate swelling. Usagi applied a cool rag for a bit to stop the throbbing. Usagi looked out the window at the stars above. Away from the city lights the stars were bright and clear. Usagi open the window and took a moment to enjoy the night and scenery. Usagi heard rustling in the bushes. Her eyes followed the rustling and stopped to see a dog peering out from the bushes. The dog was large, brindle in color, and appeared to be an Atika.

A man stepped forward and petted the dog and attempted to get the dog to follow him. As Usagi's eyes adjusted to the dark she recognized the man that was before her. It was Sebastian.

Usagi slipped out of the window doing her best to jump over the flowers that were bellow. She walked quickly over to the bush, but stopped in her tracks when she heard the growling of the dog.

"Shht." Sebastian uttered causing the dog to sit.

"Sebastian. What are you doing here?" Usagi was surprised she came into contact with Sebastian so quickly after last night. Sebastian stepped behind large tree providing just enough cover for Sebastian making him invisible to anyone looking from the house.

"My dog got out and went for a walk by himself." Sebastian said with a crooked smile. "I finally found him. I actually only live a 5 minute drive from here."

Great Usagi thought. This was time bomb waiting to explode. Why did he have to live so close to Michiru and Haruka. If they found out about him forget learning more about him. She would practically be locked in her room for the rest of the summer.

"You know my name, but I don't know yours. " Sebastian said bringing Usagi's focus back to him. Sebastian leaned against the tree bringing him closer to Usagi.

"My name is Usagi"

Sebastian reached out and grabbed her shirt collar between his index finger and middle finger and moved it to the side exposing her bite mark. "Well, Usagi it seems that he got you good last night. You should continue to ice it to help bring down the swelling."

"I want to know more about you." Usagi blurted out. "I mean I want to know more about vampires like you." Usagi blushed trying to back track from her first statement.

"Are you sure that is wise. The Vampire world is a dark world and I'm not sure you should step into that world." Sebastian eyes looked conflicted as he asked her this.

"I can handle it." Usagi said defensively. "I've fought evil before."

"You have power. I saw that last night. And you have this energy that radiates from you. I never felt that before."

"Well, I'm no ordinary girl"

Sebastian smiled. "I can see that. If you want to know more then let me pick you up later tonight. What time should I pick you up at your house?"

Usagi checked her watch. It was almost 9pm and she would probably be home by 10pm. "Lets say 10:30pm

"Perfect." Sebastian tapped one of Usagi's hair buns on the top of her head. " Your hairstyle makes you look like a little rabbit."

The sound of a door opening stopped the conversation and Usagi turned around to see if anyone was in sight. When she turned around to warn Sebastian that someone was on way he was already gone.

Usagi walked away from the tree and started to walk towards the front door. She was met by Haruka.

"What are you doing out here kitten."

"Oh, I just needed some air."

"OK. Well, come back inside everyone is looking for you. And I'm going to drive you guys home soon." Haruka motioned for Usagi to follow her.

Usagi looked over to where Sebastian had been before following Haruka into the house. In an hour and half she would have some of the answers she was searching for. What was the nature of Vampires? Were they all evil or was it largely dependent on the individual.


	5. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Usagi stood outside the gate to her house as she waited for Sebastian. Haruka had dropped her off 30 minutes prior from the dinner at the Outer Senshi's house. She ran upstairs to change into an outfit that was more appropriate for a night out. She settled on black slacks with a red sleeveless button down V-neck shirt.

Usagi heard the sound of a motorcycle approaching from down street and it stopped in front of her. The motorcycle was a black Kawasaki ninja known for its speed and agility. The man on the bike was wearing a black tight fitting leather jacket, black jeans, and black boots. Dismounting his bike, he took off his helmet and greeted Usagi.

"Hello." Sebastian smiled as he appreciated Usagi's outfit. "I hope you are not afraid of Motorcycles."

Usagi shook her head no. She had been on Haruka's Motorcycle a few times. She actually liked weaving in and out of traffic. It was very calming.

"Good" Sebastian said while handing Usagi a second helmet. "Lets go."

Usagi took the helmet from Sebastian. "Where are we going?"

"It's a surprise." Sebastian put his helmet back on and mounted the bike. After starting the motorcycle he motioned for Usagi to get on.

Usagi finished adjusting her helmet and the climbed onto the back.

"Hold on tight."

Usagi wrapped her arms around Sebastian's waist and taking his cue Sebastian sped off into the night.

After 15 minutes weaving in and out of traffic they arrived at their destination. Sebastian parked the motorcycle and helped Usagi off the bike. Sebastian locked the helmets to his motorcycle and asked Usagi to follow him. In front of them was bar called Akuryou with a long line to enter the bar.

"Wow. This place is popular. How long will it take for us to get in?" Usagi asked.

"Not long at all." Sebastian said while taking her hand. "That entrance is for humans. We are going to the back entrance.

Sebastian walked around to the back alley and knock on the metal door. A man who had the body type of a sumo wrestler answered the door.

" Good evening Sebastian. Who's the girl?" The man asked looking Usagi up and down.

"This is my friend Usagi."

"Friend? Right." The man said rolling his eyes. "Are you trying to get this place shut down? She is definitely not 20 years old."

"I know. I'll be discrete. We are just looking for a safe place to talk." Sebastian pleaded with the man.

"OK. But I'm only doing this because you know the owner and you out rank me. " The man said waving the two inside.

"Thank you" Sebastian said while escorting Usagi into the club.

Walking into the club Usagi surveyed her surroundings. There was a central dance floor with booths and tables lining the walls. The bar was located at the back with scantly clad bartenders serving the patrons. Sebastian asked one of the waitresses something, but Usagi could not hear what he said due to the volume of the music playing in the club. Sebastian then guided Usagi to the back of the bar and they climbed the staircase at the back. The staircase led to private rooms that overlooked the rest of the bar.

A waiter in tight leather pants and no shirt walked Usagi and Sebastian to their private room. The room was small and intimate with a small table and two bar stools.

"May I start you two off with a drink."

"Yes. I will have O+ in a glass and my friend will have a Saint Germaine's."

"Excellent. I will be back with your drinks in a moment."

Usagi looked confused. "They serve blood here?"

Sebastian laughed. "Not really. It is synthetic blood. It's close as you can get to the real stuff. Synthetic blood has only been on the market for 30 years. It has allowed vampires the freedom to get their nutritional requirements met without having to harm or take a life. Real blood straight from the body is still the best."

The waiter returned with their drinks. Sebastian's drink was in a martini glass and if she had not been told it was synthetic she would have sworn the glass was filled with blood.

The waiter then placed Usagi's drink in front of her. The drink looked like it was champagne.

Sebastian tipped the waiter and as soon as he left Sebastian continued his story. "I guess I should start from the beginning. Vampires have been around as long as human kind. The origin of vampire is just as much a mystery as human origins. As of today close to 500,000 vampire are present through out the world."

Sebastian stopped his story when he noticed that she was a little jittery. Maybe because she realized that she was in a private room with a man, no vampire, she barely knew.

"Don't worry. I'm a gentlemen and I treat all women with respect." Sebastian said calmly. "Try the drink. It's very delicious. Or so I have been told."

Usagi picked up her drink and took a sip. Indeed it was delicious. Bubbly and sweet.

"Now, vampire society is high controlled and hierarchal. Rank is based on age, strength, and political prowess. Vampire society is also based off a feudal system. A handful of vampires are apart of the inner court with the rest following the rules that are set by that court. At the top of the system is the king/queen. Now the name of the vampire that is ultimately in control varies based on local cultural views. Here in Japan the head vampire is referred to as the Shogun. At the present there are three Shoguns in Japan."

Usagi head was reeling. She couldn't believe such a highly structured secret society existed.

"Japan is broken up into 3 territories: Northern, Central, and Southern. I work for the Shogun Bishamon who controls the central territory. Bishamon controls all the wealth and property that the vampires in his court use. The house I live is owned by him and I was leased the house by one of his Barons named Chizuko. I'm given that house and received money from them in exchange for my services "

"Baron? What's a Baron?" Usagi asked slightly confused by these new terms.

"A Baron is a vampire that dispense the Shoguns wealth, provides protection with knights/samurais, and serves as a trusted adviser. Each Shogun has three Barons. The shogun also has an army of Samurai for protection. All other vampires pay the court taxes or work odd jobs for them."

"So. Are you a Samurai? Usagi asked disparately trying to put everything together all the information she was receiving.

Sebastian took a drink of his O+. "No. I'm an enforcer. See every vampire knows the big players in the court. Vampires that break the rules or plan against the court tend to lay low and not reveal information to those in the court. I'm like an under cover cop."

"Wow. Wait, how old are you?" Usagi finished off her drink and could tell she was a bit tipsy.

Sebastian smiled leaned forward and said just above a whisper "One hundred and twenty five."

Usagi almost fell off her chair. And she thought the age difference between her and Mamoru was problem.

Sebastian laughed out loud at Usagi reaction. "Don't hurt yourself. What did you expect my age to be? I'm a vampire."

"I thought maybe 50 years tops." Usagi admitted.

"I'm sure you still have a lot of questions about me, but I think we should talk about it later. I actually want to know more about you."

Usagi took a deep breath. "Maybe we should get another round of drinks before I start."

End of chapter

Thank you for your reviews and please keep them coming. I won't be able to update until Sunday so please be patient.


	6. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Usagi took a sip of her second drink before starting the story of why she was no ordinary girl. "Well my story starts out with a cat that followed me home one day."

Sebastian looked puzzled. "A cat?"

"Yes, trust me this story is going to get really weird. It involves talking cats, reincarnation, me and my friends dying multiple times, an evil Doctor and his tragically cursed daughter, gender bending aliens, and a final battle in the sky with wings."

Sebastian just looked at Usagi blankly.

"Don't worry. I'm going to put all the pieces together and hopefully it will make sense to you." This time Usagi took a big gulp of her drink.

Usagi explained how she wad told she was a reincarnated princess that ruled a galaxy many years ago. Over the first year she met her friends and fellow soldiers as they battled Queen Beryl. She also found out the guy who teased her was actually her prince and soon to be husband.

"What's his name?" Sebastian asked looking a little disappointed.

"Mamoru Chiba here on earth, but Prince Endymion in the Kingdom. Usagi explained how they were destined to be together and have a daughter. Her daughter had actually traveled back through time to visit her parents.

"How weird was that meeting your soon to be daughter."

"It was weird at first, but I grew attached to her while she visited." Usagi continued with her story and the battle with Mistress 9 and the almost destruction of earth.

Sebastian was transfixed on her story. Usagi seemed so young and innocent. It was hard to believe she had been through so much.

And then Usagi began her story about the battle with Galaxia. She told him about Mamoru's disappearance and her bond with Seiya. Usagi finished her story with her final battle with Galaxia.

"So you are destined to save Earth and then rule over it." Sebastian summarized.

"Yeah, that's pretty much the gist of the story. "

"Is your boyfriend on vacation? "

"He's in America. Though I guess he's not my boyfriend anymore" Usagi said with her voice suddenly becoming softer.

This peaked Sebastian interest. "Why would he not be your boyfriend anymore?"

Usagi looked as if she was on the verge of tears. "I don't know what happened. He has doubts about his feelings for me. He told me that he wanted to be sure he was in the relationship because he wanted to be with me and not because we were meant to be together. He's going to spend the summer evaluating his feelings." Usagi looked at her hands and did her best to suppress her tears.

Sebastian felt a rage begin to rise within him. How could one person be so careless with another person's heart? Mamoru's sudden indifference was causing her so much pain.

"So are you going to wait for him all summer?"

Usagi shrugged. "For so long all I wanted in life was to be a bride. And when I met Mamo-chan I thought my dreams were coming true. All I think about is what did I do that made Mamo-chan question are relationship."

At this point Sebastian moved closer to Usagi and took her hand. He then used his other hand to cusp her chin and tilted her head up so they were eye to eye. "You've done nothing wrong. Back when I was human, girls only option in life was to marry. They could not hold property, be educated, or get a decent job. You can be so much more than a bride Usagi. You should not just wait around for some guy to decide he loves you. Love your self first and then make your own destiny."

Tears flowed down Usagi face. Sebastian was so kind and his words struck her core. "Thank you."

Sebastian nodded and squeezed Usagi hand. "Usagi I would like to ask you a question?"

"Sure."

"I have been assigned a job to locate a vampire who has broken some laws and needs to be found and brought to the court for judgment. I need to go undercover and could use your help. The vampire I am looking for likes to go to establishments that were made for humans and vampires to socialize. I think I would do better if I had a human partner helping. It would be dangerous but given your background and power I believe your perfect for the job. Plus it would provide you with a much needed distraction."

"What has this vampire done? And what's his name?"

"I don't know the name yet. All I know is that he has killed two humans. Since synthetic blood was made available it is illegal for vampire to kill a human. Before you could kill as long as it was not someone prominent. It was all based on not drawing attention to us. Now with globalization and 24 hour News if vampires were allowed to hunt and kill for food we would surely be discovered. The only way to feed on a human is with consent."

"And some humans consent."

Sebastian smiled. " The only humans that consent to be feed on are lovers of vampires.

Usagi blushed when she realized what Sebastian meant. She thought about Sebastian offer. If a vampire was killing people it was her duty as a Sailor Senshi to fight him. "I will accept your offer."

"Great. I will need to prepare you for this mission. We should meet tomorrow night to prepare you. I will pick you up tomorrow night."

"Ok." Usagi said with a mix of apprehension and excitement.

Sebastian looked at his watch and noticed it was 1:30am. "It's getting late. I should get you home." Sebastian stood up and helped Usagi to her feet. They walked back down the stairs and then back to his bike. As Usagi put on her helmet she could barely believe the adventure she was about to begin.

END

Ok here is another small chapter. The next chapter will be longer I promise. ;)


	7. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

True peace was a quite stroll through an isolated Shinto Shrine surrounded by nothing but nature. That was Daichi's view on life, but he was from an ancient time and way of life. It was a time in Japan when the Samurai were an elite warrior class with purpose and power. Modernization had not suited Daichi well and he did everything in his power to shun new technology and fashion. Daichi wore a traditional hitatare with his katana and wakizashi strapped to his left side. He even wore the traditional socks called tabi with sandals.

Daichi approached the Torii to Bishamon's Shrine and took in the scenery around him. Bishamon's Shrine was located in the Minami Alps just south of Mount Shiomi. Its isolation served as an excellent place for the vampire shoguns to have their biannual meetings. Daichi had grown up as a son of a Samurai and was initiated into the way of the warrior at a young age. At the age of 3 he was practicing with a wooden sword and by the age of 6 he was carrying a real one.

When he was 19 years old he went into his first battle as a Samurai. It was also his last day as a human. This battle would later be known as the Battle of Minatogawa. Daichi was on the loyalist side, which was defeated in this battle. He had been wounded with both his Achilles tendons severed and a penetrating injury to his right upper chest. His wounds were disabling, but maybe not life threatening. Facing defeat and permanent disability Daichi reached for his wakizashi to perform seppuku. Before he could remove his wakizashi from his belt a Samurai from the opposing army took it from him. The Samurai placed Daichi's wakizashi 50 feet behind him on an incline.

Daichi was shocked by the Samurai's actions. He was taught that no matter what every Samurai lived by the same code with honor being the most important. To not allow an enemy to commit seppuku was dishonorable. The Samurai walked way and Daichi began his slow and agonizing crawl to his wakizashi. Every movement he made caused intense pain and stress on his body. With all the blood he lost from his wounds, Daichi extremities felt like bricks and his breathing became increasingly labored.

Dusk turned into evening when the fatigue Daichi reached his wakizashi. Taking a moment to rest Daichi looked at the stars and said a prayer. His vision was blurry with peripheral vision all but gone when he unsheathed his wakizashi.

"What brave and noble Samurai you are." A male voice came from the night. Daichi felt someone hold his hand that gripped the wakizashi. "This is not your last battle."

Daichi felt something penetrate his neck, but he was too weak to react. He was on the cusp of unconsciousness when he felt blood running down his throat. Suddenly he had an overwhelming urge to feed. He drank all the blood he could before he slipped into unconsciousness. When Daichi regained consciousness he was a vampire bound to his new master that created him.

Daichi reached the top of the steps and stopped at the chozuya to cleanse his face and hands. He passed the various shrines and walked to the Honden to pay his respect to the gods. To the left of the Honden was another building that served as living quarters.

Daichi found these biannual meetings tedious, but he knew it was necessary to keep tract of all the property and businesses they owned. With out that they would have no resources to run their court.

Maybe this week will fly by fast he thought.

Usagi sat on the couch in her living room as she waited for Sebastian. She had crawled out of bed close to noon and spent most of the day doing chores around the house. She had also chose to withdrawal from summer class. She told the school she had a family emergency and would be leaving the country. If she was going to spend all her nights out with Sebastian, there would be no way she would be able to make her 8am summer classes.

The doorbell rang causing Usagi to leap from her seat. She opened the door to reveal Sebastian with two helmets in his hands. "Good evening Usagi."

"Good evening Sebastian." Usagi could feel her heart skip a beat when she heard his voice.

"I'm taking you to my place for training. I have a room in my house that has everything you would need to train for battle against vampires"

Usagi was nervous about going to his house because it was in such close proximity to the Outer Senshi's house. Despite her misgivings Usagi agreed.

Usagi followed Sebastian to his bike and climbed on the back. The route Sebastian took to his house was the exact route she would have taken if she were going to the Outer Senshi's house. Usagi took a deep breath in attempt to calm her nerves.

Sebastian turned down a dirt road that led to a rustic looking two-story house. Usagi followed Sebastian into his house removing her shoes when she entered. The house was decorated in a Moroccan type style with deep reds, browns, and blacks as the color scheme.

Sebastian gave Usagi a quick tour of the first floor of the house before they went to the training room. The rooms were large, well decorated, and very clean. The windows had a specially designed window shade that intrigued her.

Sebastian noticed Usagi staring at the shades and answered the question she was thinking about. "The shades are motorized and timed to the exact time of sunrise. Once closed no light can penetrate through the shades and the shades will only open at sunset."

Usagi nodded while following Sebastian down a hallway.

"Just step over Jack. I promise he won't bite."

Looking down Usagi saw the brindled colored Akita from the night before sleeping in the hallway obstructing their path. She carefully and quietly stepped over the dog and continued to follow Sebastian.

'This is the training room. We have everything you would need for a fight." Sebastian said stepping into the room. "This is a our practice dummy where we practice trying to hit the heart." Sebastian slapped the rubber chest of the punching bag dummy.

"So to kill a vampire all you have to do is stab the heart?"

"Yes and No. To kill a vampire you need to pierce through the heart with either a sword or a stake. The object used to pierce the heart must remain there for at least 10 seconds. A gunshot to the chest will not kill a vampire."

Usagi nodded and looked around the room. The walls were lined with various types of swords, spears, and stakes.

"Vampires can also be killed by decapitation or being in direct sunlight for too long"

The fact that the only way to defeat a vampire was to kill it made Usagi a little uneasy. Usagi had battled evil before, but it usually ended with the villain being saved from an evil possession. No one really died. Usagi was beginning to wonder if she could kill, even if it was a vampire.

"I see you brought your broach. " Sebastian said pointing to it.

Usagi clutched her broach and timidly asked, " Would you like to see me transform?"

Sebastian nodded.

"Moon Eternal Make Up," Usagi screamed beginning her transformation.

END of Chapter

Ok. I lied. I said this would be longer, but work has interfered with my writing time. And it was either a short chapter uploaded today or a long one uploaded on Tuesday. Stupid work.

Thank you guys for your reviews. They really do keep me going. To Morty2264- I do know Sailor Moon well. I've seen every episode, all the movies, and read the Manga. The Japanese version in its purest form is really the only way to enjoy Sailor Moon. And I will do my best to improve on my grammar and work on my story's flow. I haven't written in years so I'm a little rusty. Thank you for the advice.


	8. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Takako unpacked her clothes and placed them in drawer next to her bed. She had just arrived at Bishamon's Shrine 1 hour prior for the shogun meeting. She found these meetings rather boring only because Bishamon had strict rules on how they would operate. Shoguns were the only vampire that could attend and no human were allowed. This bothered her because she would be forced to drink synthetic blood while she was here. Takako got her blood from various human lovers and truly hated synthetic blood. She wasn't sure what would be harder drinking synthetic blood for the next week or being celibate.

Takako was a daughter of a fisherman in a small town by the ocean. Born in the late 13th century she had very few options as woman. Her family was poor and they could barely make ends meet. Takako's beauty pulled her family out of poverty when her father arranged her marriage to local aristocrat's son. Her family was no longer poor, but she had the unfortunate fate of being married to a violent drunk. In the beginning she tried to be passive and obedient, but that did nothing to stop his rage. After years of abuse instead of being broken she became stronger and rebellious.

She had multiple lovers with various men throughout the town with little fear of her husband's wrath. One night her husband came home in a drunken rage. He had found out about one of her affairs and his plan was to kill her. Walking straight to their bedroom he said nothing and punched her in the face. Takako fell to the ground next to her bed and grabbed a knife she hid under the bed. She knew this night would happen it was only a matter of time. As he knelt down to land another punch she stabbed him in the chest. Her husband fell back confused by her sudden defiance.

"Did you think I would just let you kill me?" She yelled with a rage that had been suppressed for so many years. "I know I will be put to death for killing you, but at least I get the satisfaction of seeing you die first."

"But what about the kids?" He tried to play on her motherly instincts.

"They will be better off without you." She said simply and plunge the knife into his neck.

Takako spent the next three nights on the run from the local authorities. She had found a cave to squat in one night when a visitor met her. At first she had thought that a bounty hunter had found her when she realized the person was a woman.

"Who are you?" Takako asked.

"My name doesn't matter. What matters is that I can provide you with something your about to lose" She said as she moved closer to Takako.

"What is that?"

"Life. You only have one more day tops before they find you and execute you."

Takako shook with fear and moved away from the woman. "How can you give me life?"

"You're not like other women. You have a fire and defiance that sets you apart. This makes you worthy of living forever. You have a choice now. Take my hand or stay here and wait to be found by those who want to execute you." The woman held out her hand and waited for Takako's decision.

Takako did not want to die. It did not seem fair that she lived a life controlled by her father and then by her husband. She never had the opportunity to make her own decisions in life. Why should she have to die for trying to escape her tormentor?

That night she took the woman's hand and began her life as a vampire. She got to live a life free of restraints that had been afforded to her gender. Vampires treated other vampires with respected and valued them with no regards to their gender or sexual preferences. The vampire world was truly freeing.

Takako closed the drawer and looked at her watch. She had fifteen minutes until the meeting started.

Sebastian watched as Usagi transformed in front of him. A beautiful array of colors covered Usagi as she spun and eventually stopped in a sailor outfit with wings.

Usagi looked at Sebastian with a hint of insecurity as she waited for him to speak.

Sebastian moved closer to Usagi and touch one of her wings. "So, this is what a Sailor Senshi looks like. Now can I see one fight?"

Usagi turned around and looked at the punching bag that was in the shape of a man. Grabbing her heart shape staff she aimed it towards the punching bag. "Silver Moon! Crystal Power Kiss." Energy was released from her staff knocking the punching bag into the wall and then to the ground."

"Powerful indeed". Sebastian said as he walked over to the punching bag and knelt beside it. He inspected the punching bag and then looked over to Usagi. "Have you ever used your power without transforming."

Usagi thought for a moment. "Yes. But only when I'm under extreme stress."

"Hmm." Sebastian stood up and walked towards Usagi. "Well, at least we know you can access your power without transforming." Sebastian moved closer to Usagi and traced the crescent on her forehead. " Vampire's are very strong and very fast. The older the vampire the more powerful they are. You must be able to access your power without transforming. It should be like a reflex."

Sebastian placed his right hand on the small of her back. Usagi began to de-transform into her normal clothes as Sebastian brought her in closer.

"You will have to trust me. I can help you access that raw power within you." Sebastian looked deep into to Usagi eyes. " I can teach you to control it."

Usagi's heart was racing and her skin was practically crawling in response to Sebastian's touch. "I want you to teach me."

"Good."

Bishamon sat in his chair as he waited for the meeting to begin. The biannual meeting always tested his patience and resolve. His fellow Shoguns were constantly at each other's throats. They were opposites in everyway and it usually ended in Bishamon having to separate the two from a physical altercation. Bishamon doubted that they hated each other, but actually had an enormous amount of sexual tension that neither one wanted to break first.

Bishamon had been the oldest son of a Shinto priest in the late 12th century. He had been groomed at a young age to become his father's replacement. At the age of 25 he was married and full ready to take over his father Shrine. This was not meant to be.

He could remember it as if it was yesterday. He was having evening tea with his father.

"In one week you will officially be the Priest of this Shrine. I have looked forward to this day for many years." His father said with pride in his eyes.

"Thank you father. I hope I am a good Priest. Just like you."

His father smiled. "I'm sure you will be. So when will I get to be a Grandfather?"

Bishamon shifted in his seat. "Only the gods know that."

"You have been married to your wife for almost three years and she has not been pregnant once. Is she infertile?"

Bishamon averted his eyes and looked into his tea. The fact that he had no children had nothing to do with his wife. They had only slept together once on their weeding night and that produce no children. " I don't believe so."

"Well. I will leave you now so you can be with your wife." He said as he stood up. "Life means nothing if you don't have children to carry on your legacy."

Bishamon watched as his father left. He was not sure he would ever be able to give his father the grandchildren he desired.

Walking through the woods on the outskirts of the Shrine, Bishamon leaned against a tree and waited. In the moonlight a man appeared. He wore a black Kimono and had two swords attacked to his left side, a symbol of his rank as a Samurai.

"Good evening Bishamon." The man said as he moved closer to him

"Good evening." Bishamon said as he waited for the man to approach him. The man drew in closer until his face was inches away from his.

"I see my lover waits expectantly for me." The man said kissing Bishamon deeply. "I hope you were not waiting long."

Bishamon shook his head and leaned in for another kiss. He was so deeply in love with this man and being even a moment away from him created a deep sadness within him. "I wish we could be together for eternity and that we did not have to hide our love. I wish I could see you in the light."

The man gave a sympathetic smile to his lover. "You will never see me in the light, but we can spend an eternity together if you wish it."

"I do." Bishamon said without hesitation and kissed his lover again. His lover began to kiss his neck and then Bishamon felt him bite. Bishamon gasped as he felt his blood being drained from his body. His lover placed him down on the ground and when Bishamon looked upon his face he saw fangs with his own blood dripping from his lover's mouth."

"Join me for eternity." His lover said as he open up his own wrist and fed his blood to Bishamon.

Bishamon's reverie was broken by the sound of Daichi and Takako entering the room. It was now time for the meeting to begin.

Sebastian and Usagi sat on the floor across from each other. Usagi was in a deep meditation as Sebastian guided her. Usagi felt the energy begin to build deep within her.

"Now let go of your worries and feel nothing but the energy. Become the energy."

Usagi did her best to clear her mind and let the energy envelop her. She felt the energy move from her heart towards her neck and then down to her arms.

Sebastian watched as a yellow stream of energy coiled around her arms like barbwire. Sebastian slowly moved back to try to get out of the way before he told Usagi to release the energy.

Usagi felt Sebastian absence causing her to loose her concentration. In an instant the energy that she had been controlling was release in a violent burst. The burst of energy headed straight for Sebastian who sat across from Usagi. With lightning speed he flung himself to the side barely missing being hit.

"I'm sorry! Are you ok?" Usagi screamed as she ran over to Sebastian.

Sebastian stood up and smiled. "It's ok. You're not going to master your power over night."

Usagi looked guilty and scared. "I knew I had a lot of power, but even I'm surprised of how much power I hold within me."

"Don't worry. You will learn to control it. It just takes practice." Sebastian held out his hand. "Come on let's call it a night on the training. I have on Demand movies, lets pick a movie to watch."

Usagi took his hand and followed him into the living room. "Sebastian, where are you from?"

"I'm from America. My family moved to America from Ireland during the great Irish famine. We lived in a Tenement building in an Irish community in New York City."

"When did you become a vampire?" Usagi asked as she sat down on the couch.

"When I was 21. In the late 1800s there was a lot of prejudice against Irish people. I couldn't find a job and got involved with a Irish gang." Sebastian shook his head and sat down next to Usagi. "I was a wild young man. I spent all my nights drinking and my days causing trouble."

"That doesn't seem like you." Usagi had a hard time seeing Sebastian as a wild man.

"I was like that. Young and stupid. After one night of drinking I followed a lady into an alleyway. I thought she was a prostitute and could get lucky. She was the one who turned me into a vampire."

"So you were changed into a vampire by a vampire prostitute?" Usagi did her best to suppress a smile.

"No. I said I thought she was a prostitute. I was wrong. She wanted a companion and had been stalking me for months. I'm not sure why she chose me though. I was very obnoxious at that age"

"How did you end up in Tokyo?"

"Well, I was an enforcer in America with my fellow vampires in my nest. I grew tired of New York City and wanted change. My king in New York arraigned the transfer with Bishamon for me to become an enforcer here. That was almost 8 years ago"

Usagi became confused when Sebastian said the word nest. "What's a nest?"

"A nest is the home of three or more vampires. The vampires live together and are companions throughout life. My nest followed me here because I had seniority."

" So you don't live alone?" Usagi said looking around.

Sebastian laughed. "No. I live with two other vampires. They are not here right now. When they return I will introduce you to them."

"Ok." Usagi said. Looking to the table in front of her she noticed an invitation to a party. "What party is this?"

Sebastian picked up the invitation. "This is the party we are going to on Friday."

"Huh? What kind of party is it?"

"It's a vampire and human party. Masquerade themed."

"Do you think you will be able to get some information on that vampire you are looking for there?"

"Well, that's the plan." Sebastian picked up the remote and then turned on the TV. "But we can talk about that later. Let's enjoy a movie."

Bishamon rubbed his temples as he listen to Takako and Daichi bicker. They had just finished going over the finances and new vampires that had been created. The meeting had now digressed into Daichi calling Takako a whore and Takako responding with calling him a prude.

"Maybe if you didn't screw and drink any human that walk by you'd be a better Shogun." Daichi yelled as he pointed at Takako.

"Well. Maybe if you got laid you wouldn't be so angry," Takako countered with a smile

"That's enough you two." Bishamon yelled getting increasingly annoyed. " We are almost done for the evening and I suggest he handle tonight's final business."

Daichi and Takako nodded to Bishamon to continue.

"Now I have had two human deaths in my territory and I have become concerned about that." Bishamon said.

"So some young vamps accidentally killed people. That's how they are at that age. They will bite anything that walks by." Takako said unimpressed by Bishamon's concern.

"The killings suggest an older vampire killed them. Someone skilled in hunting and killing." Bishamon continued.

"Do you think they're a threat to the court?" Daichi asked.

"They could be. I have one of my enforcers on the job. But I suggest that you keep an eye out in your territories for any vampire related deaths.

Daichi and Takako agreed and then retired to their rooms as dawn approached.

End of Chapter

Chapter 7 preview: More training for Usagi, Haruka takes Hotaru to The New Moon movie, and a Masquerade.


	9. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Haruka and Hotaru waited in line outside the movie theater. It was Haruka and Hotura's bonding time and Hotaru had begged her to see the New Moon. Haruka had never heard of the movie and knew only it was based off a book series Hotaru was reading. Sestuna and Michiru had suggested Haruka take her to the movie since Hotaru had been asking about it for months.

The line began to move as the movie theater was opened for the next screening.

Haruka handed over her tickets to the boy at the booth when he asked. "Are you Team Jacob or Team Edward?"

Haruka looked at the boy confused. "What?"

The boy ignored Haruka and turned his attention to Hotaru. " Team Jacob or Team Edward?"

"Team Jacob." Hotaru said.

Haruka looked at Hotaru and then at the boy. "What are you guys talking about?"

"Well, the last screening we had of the New Moon the two factions broke into a fight." The boy began: " We're not sure if Team Edward or Team Jacob started the fight, but it ended with a lock down and one of the ushers being taken hostage. Since then we have the teams sit in different sections."

Haruka raised her eyebrow. "Hostage?"

"Yeah, it was a bit of an ordeal. We were able to get him back after promising movie posters to the kidnappers."

Haruka was beginning to think she should have taken Hotaru bowling.

Walking into the theater Haruka noticed the room was filled with tweens and a handful of adults speckled through the crowd. Tween girls always made Haruka nervous. They looked sweet and innocent, but there was something sinister lurking beneath.

Haruka's nervousness dissipated when she saw the smile on Hotaru's face. She was always surprised what she was willing to do for her daughter. Sitting down with Hotaru she looked over to a man sitting to her left. He was obviously here with his daughter and her group of friends. The look of fear on his face was event. She watched as he mouthed to her "the movie is so bad."

Haruka slowly turned away from the man and gave her attention back to her daughter. "So why are we Team Jacob?"

"Because vampires don't sparkle." Hotaru replied.

Throughout the week Sebastian continued to guide Usagi in her meditation. Usagi was able to now access her energy with little difficulty, but releasing that energy in any meaningful way proved the harder task. Sebastian's goal was to get Usagi to harness her energy and store it in her hands. If she could store the energy in her hands she would be able to aim and stun any vampire that attacked.

"Ok. Build your energy up again and try to hit your target in the chest." Sebastian said as he moved behind Usagi.

Usagi took a deep breath and centered herself. In one fluid motion she moved her closed hands from over her chest to above her head. She then opened her arm creating a stream of energy pulsating between her hands. Usagi then compressed the stream of energy into a ball and took aim at the punching bag. She released the energy ball towards the punching, but hit the wall next it.

Sebastian looked at the smoldering wall and then back to Usagi. "That was closer."

Usagi sighed in defeat and lowered her head in frustration. "No it wasn't. I hit the exact same spot two minutes ago."

Sebastian smiled and walked over to Usagi. Placing his hand on her shoulders he began to rub them. "You're doing much better. Four days ago it took a lot of concentration for you to build up the energy balls. Now you're launching them at an intended target. "Sebastian paused for a moment and look at the wall. "Sure, your aim could use a little practice, but it will get better."

Usagi nodded. "I think I need a break. I'm hungry"

"Ok. I don't have food in the house, but we can go out. What do you want?"

"I want ice cream or frozen yogurt." Usagi pleaded as she held her hands together in praying position.

Sebastian chuckled at Usagi plea. "Let's get some frozen yogurt then."

Haruka held Hotaru's hand as they walked down the sidewalk. She could hardly believe how bad that movie was. It literally was torture; she kept quite because Hotaru loved the movie. All Haruka could think of as she walked down the street was how to get Michiru and Setsuna back for suggesting taking Hotaru to the movie.

"Haruka-papa, can we get some frozen yogurt?"

Haruka smiled mischievously at Hotaru's question. "Yes, we can. But we can't tell Michiru-mama because it's so close to your bedtime."

"Ok." Hotaru promised her papa.

Haruka continued to smile as she thought of the sweet revenge she was about to have against Michiru. Michiru did her best to give Hotaru a healthy diet low in sugar. So when Hotaru did get a sugary treat she tended to spaz out. It was agreed on by all her guardians not to give her sugar before bedtime.

Usagi finished off her third frozen yogurt and looked to a surprised Sebastian. "I needed that." She said with smile.

"How do you stay so skinny?" Sebastian asked, as he looked Usagi up and down. "With all you eat you should be 300 lbs."

"Just lucky I guess." Usagi's attention was pulled from the conversation when she saw Haruka and Hotaru walk into the frozen yogurt shop. "Shit!"

"What?" Sebastian said startled. He began to turn around to follow Usagi's gaze, but was immediately turn back around by Usagi.

"Don't turn around!" Usagi peeked over Sebastian's shoulder and then looked back at Sebastian." Ok. Follow my lead and I will explain later." Sebastian nodded.

"Haruka-papa, I have to go to the bathroom." Hotaru said tugging on Haruka's hand.

"Ok sweetie. The bathroom is in the back. What yogurt do you want?"

"Original with strawberries and sprinkles." Hotaru yelled behind her as she walked to the bathroom.

As Haruka waited in line she looked around for an empty table to eat at. She stopped scanning the room when she noticed a familiar haircut. "Kitten" she said to no one in particular. Haruka then noticed she was with a man she did not know.

Usagi watched out of the corner of her eye as Haruka walked towards their table. Deciding a preemptive strike was the best course she introduced Sebastian. " Hello, Haruka. What are you doing here? This is my English tutor...Tom."

"Tom?" Sebastian gave Usagi a quizzical look. Usagi returned his look with an angry one so he went along with the story. "Yes, my name is Tom. I tutor students that need the most help with their English."

"Hey Tom." Haruka said suspiciously before answering Usagi's question. "Hotaru and I just went to the movies and now we're getting dessert."

"That sounds like a good time. I'm sure Hotaru is enjoying her time with her papa."

Sebastian looked confused when Usagi used the word papa to describe Haruka. He was pretty sure Haruka was female.

At that moment Hotaru returned from the bathroom. "Hi, Usagi-san."

"Hi Hotaru. I hear you had a fun time at the movies with your papa."

Hotaru smiled and nodded. "Haruka-papa is now officially on Team Jacob."

Usagi knew the basic storyline of the twilight series and that Jacob was a werewolf. "Hmm, I thought Haruka would be more of a vampire fan."

Hotaru laughed and shook her head. "No. Vampires are lame."

Sebastian let out a hearty laugh. "She's right. Vampires are lame."

Usagi turned to Haruka:" Well, I'm heading home now. I have more homework to do."

"Yes, I will drive you home." Sebastian stood up and extended his hand to Haruka. " It was nice meeting you Haruka."

Haruka took Sebastian's hand and squeezed hard. "Nice to meet you too." Haruka looked into Sebastian's eyes trying to find out his motives for being with Usagi.

"Well, we should be going." Usagi said as she ripped Haruka and Sebastian's hands apart. "It was nice seeing you guys."

"Get home safe." Haruka said as she watched Usagi and Sebastian leave.

"What's wrong Haruka-papa?" Hotaru said tilting her head to the side.

Haruka turned to her daughter and ruffled her hair. "Nothing sweetheart."

Outsied Sebastian mounted his bike and handed Usagi her helmet.

"I think you should take me home. I have a feeling Haruka may drive by my house tonight to make sure I made it home safe." Usagi said as she put on her helmet and sat behind Sebastian.

" is Haruka?"

"She is an Outer Senshi and fericly protective of me. Trust me we don't want to peak her interst. That's why I think it's best I go home tonight."

Sebastian nodded and started his motorcycle. Sebastian drove Usagi home and walked her to her door. " Have a good night and I will pick you up tomorrow for the party."

"Oh that's right. The party is masquerade themed, right" Usagi asked.

"Yes. Don't worry I have bought a costume for you. I'll bring it to you tomorrow when I pick you up." Sebastian waved goodbye as Usagi entered her house.

Walking up the stairs to her bedroom Usagi thought of how close she came to exposing her secret to Haruka. She wasn't sure if Haruka bought the lie, but at least she had stalled for some time.

When Usagi entered her room the first thing that caught her eye was the picture of her, Chibiusa, and Mamoru. She walked over to the picture and picked it up. Tears began to fill her eyes as she looked at her once future family. Usagi opened one of her drawers and placed the picture face down inside. Closing the drawer she spent the next hour putting anything that reminded her of Mamoru in a box. She then taped the box closed and hid it in her closet.

Haruka laid in her bed responding to her emails on her laptop. Michuri walked into their bedroom and gave Haruka a frustrated look.

"Why did you give Hotaru frozen yogart before bedtime? It took me an hour to get our bouncing daughter bathed and dressed for bed." Michiru walked over to the bed and climbed in next to Haruka. "But that was your plan right?"

Haruka attempted to play innocent. "I have no idea what your talking about."

"Well, if that's your story." Michiru said as she snuggled closer to Haruka.

Haruka wrapped her arm around Michiru and brought her in closer. " I saw Usagi today and she was with a guy."

Michiru looked up at Haruka. "Who was the guy?"

"Usagi said it was her English tutor, but I'm not sure if his intentions are pure."

"Usagi is a smart girl and won't let things go too far." Michiru wrapped her arms around Haruka's waist and squeezed.

"I'm not concerned about Usagi making a poor decision. She is vulnerable right now with Mamoru in America and this guy could be talking advantage of her. It is not proper for a tutor to take a student out for frozen yogurt. There are boundries between students and teachers and he has crossed one of those boundries."

"So you did go to a frozen yogurt shop." Michiru said with a smile.

Haruka was caught. Placing her laptop on the bedstand she turned back to Michiru and flipped her on her back. Pinning her lover below her , she moved in closer and whispered into her ear. "Yes, I was the one that put Hotaru into a sugar high."

Michiru wrapped her legs around Haruka's hips and kissed her. " I knew it. Don't worry about Usagi she can take care of herself. She is meant to be with Mamoru and no tutor will get in between those two."

Haruka nodded and kissed Michiru.

The next evening Usagi sat in her living room in a robe waiting for Sebastian to arrive. She was looking forward to the party and to spending time with Sebastian. The door bell rang and she walked over and open the door. In the doorway Sebastian stood in a tuxedo with a black mask. Usagi heart sank as she looked at Sebastian standing before her. In this momenet he look so much like Takishido Kamen. Usagi let Sebastian in doing her best to suppress her memories of Mamoru.

Sebastian walked into Usagi's house and noticed Usagi's reaction. "Is something wrong?"

"Oh, no. I was just suprised to see you dressed up. You look handsome" Usagi said in an attempt to cover her uneasiness.

"Thank you." Here is your costume. The party is a Victorian style masquerade party. So I got you a white dress with a white feather mask." Sebastian handed over the dress and mask.

Usagi took the dress and excused herself to get dressed upstairs. In her room Usagi put on the dress and masked and looked at herself in the mirror. The dress was white with a corset top and a bell shaped bottom. Usagi mask was also white with white feathers giving a butterfly type appearance.

Usagi walked down the stairs and presesnted herself to Sebastain. Sebasstian was awe struck by Usagi's beauty.

"You look absolutely beautiful." Sebastain said as he took Usagi's white gloved hand.

"Thank you." Usagi blushed.

Sebastian and Usagi walked outside to a black sports car. Sebastain opened the passenger side and helped Usagi in. He then walked around the car and sat in the driver's seat.

"I didn't know you had a car too." Usagi said as she looked around the inside of the car.

"A motorcycle is not always practical." Sebastian said with a smile as he started the car.

They arrived at the party which was located in a mansion in the outskirts of Tokyo. Sebastian escorted Usagi into the mansion as the party was in full swing. The mansion was filled with men in tuxedos and women in victorian styled dresses.

"What's the plan while we are here?" Usagi whispered to Sebastian.

"Well, I'm going to talk to the host of this party. He is an vampire who enjoys human compainionship. Unfortunetly for him one of the girls killed was last seen at one of his parties."

"Do you think he did it?"

Sebastian shook his head. "No. He is a big proponent for the protection of humans. He believes they should not be hunted or killed by vampires. Actually, he was one of the key players to get the law passed within vampire law."

Usagi looked around the room and could not tell who was a vampire and who was human. "What do you want me to do?"

"You need to start talking to some human females and see if you can get any information on the girl that was killed." Sebastian let go of Usagi hand and excused himself.

Usagi walked over to a group of women standing near the buffet table. "Hello, my name is Usagi. I'm kinda new to this scene do you think you can help me?"

One of the women smiled and welcomed Usagi into the group. "Of course. All vampire lovers are welcome in our group. How did you hear about this party?"

Usagi thought for a moment before saying: "I'm here with my new boyfriend. He's a vampire."

"Well, aren't you lucky!" Another girl from the group said. "I've been to 10 of these parties in hopes that I would get a vampire boyfriend."

"I hear they are great lovers. Is that true?" The third girl asked.

Usagi blushed. "He is, but that's kinda private. Can I ask you guys a question?"

"Sure." They practically said in unision.

"Are you guys scared that you will end up like that girl who was killed by a vampire?"

One of the girls shook her head. " Yoshi sent out an email after the murder expressing his regret for human loss at the hands of one vampire. He asked us not to judge a group by one individuals actions."

"Who is Yoshi?" Usagi asked trying to get information on this new vampire.

"He is the host of this party. He's so cute." One of the girls said. "I hope he notices me tonight. It would be my dream come true if Yoshi courted me.

"Wow, I can't believe she showed up tonight."

Usagi looked over her shoulder and saw a woman in a black Victorian dress and black mask. "Who is that?"

"That is Keiko. She is the friend of the murdered girl."

Usagi watched as Keiko walked into the bathroom. "Please excuse me. I have to use the restroom. "

Usagi walked into the bathroom and waited for Keiko to appear. Keiko exited one of the stalls and washed her hands in the sink. Her eyes were red as if she hand been crying. " Hello, my name is Usagi. Are you Keiko?"

Keiko examined Usagi closely. "Yes. Do I know you?"

"No. But I heard your friend was killed after leaving one of these parties."

"Yes, she was killed by a dirty vamp. But that really is none of your business." Keiko grabbed a towel and wiped her hands.

"I could help you find justice for your friend." Usagi said as she did her best to gain her trust.

"No you can't" Keiko said as she held back the rage in her heart. " Your at this party to find a sexy vamp to fuck. I will tell you right now that I hate vamps and wish they were all dead. Now get away from me."

Usagi watched as Keiko left and felt compassion for the girl. If a vampire had killed someone she loved she might be just as angry as Keiko.

Sebastian walked into the library where he found Yoshi with various women around him. "Good evening Yoshi. You sure know how to throw a party."

Yoshi looked at Sebastian and smiled at his friend. " What are you doing here my friend? This type of party has never been your type of scene."

"Well, I'm here more on business than pleasure"

Yoshi nodded and turned to his women. "Could you please excuse us ladies? We have some business to discuss."

All the women exited the room and Yoshi gestured Sebastian to sit. "Would you like a drink Sebastian."?

"Some gin would be nice." Sebastian said as he sat down on the couch.

Yoshi reached into the fridge and pulled out a glass full of blood. "This blood was taken from a young lady that had quite a few gin cocktails in her. It's the closest a vampire will get to tasting real gin." Yoshi poured Sebastian a glass and handed it to him.

"Thanks." He said as he took the glass. "I'm sure you know why I am here."

Yoshi sat down across from Sebastian. " I do. What do you want to know about the girl who died?"

"Well, let's start with her name."

" Her name was Aiko. She had been to various parties of mine looking for a vampire lover."

Sebastian took a sip of his gin blood. "And did she find a lover at one of your parties?"

"I believe yes, but he also proved to be her killer."

"Do you know the name of the vampire that courted her?" Sebastian said as he leaned closer to Yoshi.

Yoshi shook his head. "First, I would like to express my absolute loyalty to the Bishamon court. If I knew the culprit's name I would give it up. Keiko's death has threatened my parties."

"Did you at least get a look at him."? Sebastian asked hopefully.

"I did." Yoshi stood up and walked over to his desk. He picked up his iPad and played a surveillance video on it.

The surveillance camera was located above the front door and gave a perfect view of the doorstep and the driveway. Seconds into the video a man came into view. The man was wearing what appeared to be a Spartan style amour including the tradition Corinthian style helmet.

"I believe this is the Vampire that killed her." Yoshi said pausing the video. "This is the best view we will get of him. Unfortunately all my parties are masquerade themed to provide anonymity for my guest so there is no picture of his face. That night the theme was secret warrior."

Sebastian looked at the paused video. "He turned away from the camera at the last second. Are you sure this is the guy?"

"Yes." Yoshi responded and fast-forwarded the video and then pressed play. "This is the moment Aiko left with the man."

Sebastian sat in silence for a moment. Standing up he walked towards the window and looked out into the night. "Did you run into him at all during the party?"

Yoshi walked over to the window where Sebastian stood. "Yes. It was a brief meeting. He is defiantly an old vampire. I could sense it, but he did not seem to be a threat at that time."

Sebastian nodded. "Thank you for your help Yoshi. I will inform my supervisors that you have been most helpful."

Usagi had finally caught up with Keiko and was following her in an attempt to get her to open up about her friend's disappearance and death. Keiko had walked into the library and asked for a man named Yoshi.

"Yoshi-san, may I speak with you." Keiko said as she clutched her handbag close to her chest.

Sebastian and Yoshi looked to the woman that had interrupted their conversation.

"Sure, Keiko." Yoshi said as he walked over to Keiko and placed his hands on her soldiers. "I know you have been through a lot this last month and I would like to offer my support and sympathy.

Keiko looked into Yoshi eyes and saw what she thought might be compassion. She ignored his attempts to comfort her and reached in to her bag. As fast as she could she pulled out a stake and raised it above her head and tried to plunge it into Yoshi chest.

Yoshi grabbed her hands and stopped the stake inches from his chest. Yoshi pressed on Keiko's wrist causing her to drop the stake. He then pinned her arms to her sides and brought her close to him.

"Don't hurt her." Usagi screamed from the doorway. Sebastian ran over to Usagi side to calm her.

"Don't worry. I'm not going to hurt her." Yoshi said to Usagi, He then looked deep into Keiko's eyes and began to sway with her very subtly, "Keiko I will not harm you. You are safe."

"I am safe." Keiko replied looking blankly into Yoshi's eyes.

"You were never here tonight." Yoshi continued. "After Aiko's death you didn't want to go to any other parties where vampires might be. You will go home and forget everything that happened here today,"

Yoshi released Keiko and she walked past Sebastian and Usagi on her way out of the library.

"Is she ok?" Usagi asked with concern.

"Yes." Sebastian replied. "Yoshi glamorized her. Meaning he accessed her mind and altered her memory. It is also possible to make a person do whatever you want them to do."

"She'll go home and will remember nothing of this night." Yoshi said as he focused on Usagi.

"Do you think you have the right to do that?" Usagi said firmly to Yoshi.

"Maybe not. But if she tries to attack vampires in an attempt to avenge her friend she will get hurt or even killed." Yoshi moved closer to Usagi. "I glamorized her to protector her from those that want to hurt her."

Usagi looked away from Yoshi. She wasn't sure his solution was the right one, but she could feel his intentions were good.

"We thank you for your time, but we shall be leaving now" Sebastian said as he placed his hand on the small of Usagi back.

"Yes, thank you." Usagi said.

"You're welcome. Let me walk you out." Yoshi motioned for them to follow. As they reached the door Yoshi gave some advise to Sebastian. "I suggest you go to the night club The Velvet Underground. That is the last place the second murder victim was seen."

Sebastian nodded and escorted Usagi back to his car. While driving Usagi home he could feel Usagi emotional distance. "Are you ok?"

Usagi ignored Sebastian's question. "Have you ever glamorized a person?"

Sebastian knew Usagi would eventually ask this question. Taking deep breath he decided to tell the truth. "Yes. When I was a young vampire I did it a lot. But as I got older I realized how manipulative it was and the damage it could cause. I now only use it as a last resort in order to protect people.

Usagi remained silent for what seemed like an eternity for Sebastian, "Would you ever glamorize me?" Usagi asked timidly, afraid of the answer she would receive.

"Never." Sebastian said immediately. "I chose to introduce you to my world and I don't have the right to take that away from you now."

Usagi was satisfied with his response and believed him when he said he would never violate her that way. As someone who had experienced memory loss once before in her life she knew how painful and destructive it could be.

Sebastian pulled up to Usagi's house and walked her to her door. "I will text you tomorrow about the club The Velvet Underground. Hopefully there we can get a better lead."

"OK" Usagi said as she turned to her door. Usagi missed the step in front of her and tripped. She began to fall when she felt Sebastian catch her. Sebastian had grabbed Usagi before she hit the ground and spun her around so they were face to face. Sebastian could no longer contain himself and he pressed his lips against hers. He felt her soft lip part and he moaned into the kiss. Sebastian pulled back afraid he had crossed a boundary Usagi did not want him to cross. Sebastian was relieved when Usagi kissed him back.


	10. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

It was something Usagi had not felt in years. She had woke up from her slumber with a sense of calm. When she discovered her destiny was to become the Sovereign of Earth she woke up every morning with varying intensities of anxiety. She struggled in school, wasn't the best fighter, and was down right flaky. How was that the making of a Queen?

Working with Sebastian had released the power she held within and that in turn gave her confidence she needed. She was no longer the princess that needed protecting, but a woman that could protect herself.

Standing on her bed Usagi opened the curtains and welcomed the day before her. She felt absolutely electric as she began to dance. Usagi fantasized that Sebastian was behind her dancing with her. She could feel as he swayed and pulsated with her.

Her daydreaming was broken by the sound of her cell phone. She jumped off the bed and picked her phone up. She had a text message from Rei:

"We're meeting at the grocery store to pick up the ingredients before going to Mako-chan's apartment. The grocery store is just down the block from her apartment."

Usagi looked and the clock and the responded to Rei. "Ok. I'll be there in 30 minutes" Usagi placed her phone down and rushed to get ready.

Usagi ran down the street trying her best not to be late for the meeting with her friends. A week ago they had planned on working on their cooking skills with the guidance of Makoto. The chosen dish was Makoto's favorite, cherry pie. Usagi was normally very nervous about practicing her cooking skills because it never ended well. The dish was either burnt, too salty, or just down right disgusting. She had always felt insecure about her inability to cook. She had always dreamed of being the mom/wife that every person wished cooked for them. Alas, she just didn't seem to have the patience or talent for cooking.

Usagi finally made it to the grocery store and found her friends waiting outside.

"Late again. Seriously Usagi-chan, can you ever make it to a place on time?" Rei said as she placed her hand on her hips.

Oh the faithful Rei-chan bait. Being that she was in such a good mood Usagi decided to indulge Rei-chan. "If I made it on time I wouldn't get to hear your soothing nagging voice. " Usagi smiled at Rei challenging her to respond.

Rei became irritated and launched her own nonverbal attack. She stuck out her tongue and simultaneously exposed her left lower sclera to Usagi.

Usagi responded with the same attack and both battled to see who would win this fight.

Ami watched Usagi and Rei fight with amusement. She normally broke up these fights, but she was relieved to see Usagi back to her old self.

Makoto also watched Rei and Usagi fight and while it brought back a sense of normalcy to the group dynamic it was wasting precious time. "Ok you two stop." she said while stepping in-between them. "We've got a lot of shopping to do so let's stay focused."

The group nodded in agreement and followed Makoto into the grocery store.

Ami looked at the shopping list and then to the group. "Ok. We should split into two groups. I think that will be the most efficient way to get everything we need." Ami looked up from her list and saw the looks of slight annoyance, but complete complacency from her friends. Amy smiled to herself because she had trained her friends well. " Rei and Makoto will go o the produce section and get the fresh ingredients and the rest of us will go to the baking aisle."

The group did not argue and split into their respective groups. Usagi was assigned to pick up the flour. She counted as she placed the flour in her basket. When she believed she had enough she looked at the price and began to calculate the final cost. Math was never Usagi's strong subject and she quickly became frustrated. She had become so frustrated that she had not noticed that her hands began to glow. That's when it happened; she accidentally released the energy from her hands. The aisle shelves exploded causing the shelves to pancake on one another. At the same time the shelf fell backwards hitting the shelf behind it causing a domino like reaction. When the last shelf hit the ground only Usagi remained with one hand outstretched and a shocked expression on her face.

Usagi looked to her right and saw Ami and Minako staring at her with disbelief. They had witness the whole thing.

An Employee of the grocery store ran to Usagi. "Are you ok Mrs.?"

"Yes." Usagi said surveying the damage. "Is anyone hurt?"

"No. Luckily this is a slow day." The employee leaned over the broken aisle shelf. "What happened?"

Usagi began to panic as she rushed to find an excuse.

"The shelf just collapsed." Ami intervened. "Once the shelf collapsed the force of the collapse caused the shelf to fall backwards."

The employee looked at Ami and then looked and the shelf. "I see. Well, I'm sorry for the faulty shelf and I'm glad you are ok. Do need anything?"

Usagi breathed a sigh of relief as the employee bought the story. She looked over her shoulder to find Minako, Ami, Rei, and Makoto standing behind her waiting for answers. "No thank you. I believe we have everything we need."

Usagi motioned for her friends to follow her to the check out. She could feel their eyes on her wanting to know what just happened. They checked out quickly and walked to Makoto's apartment in silence. Once inside Usagi was bombarded with questions.

"Usagi, was that the first time this has happened?" Ami asked as she placed one of the grocery bags on the counter.

"Yes and no. I mean never in public." She responded and turned to face her friend's interrogation.

"What exactly happened?" Makoto asked.

"Usagi was looking at pricing labels and then all of a sudden her hands began to glow." Minako said as she began to reenact the scene. "Then that energy was released causing all that damage."

Rei placed a hand on Usagi's shoulder. "You said this happened before, when?"

"I've never had it happen outside of battle. I don't know how or why this energy was released. Especially, in such a public place." Usagi wanted to tell her friends everything. A part of her wanted their support and guidance, but she knew involving them would make things more complicated than it already was. Her friends would not support her choice to be with Sebastian. And right now that's what she needed. She had to walk this path she was on alone.

"This could be a sign that a new enemy is coming. I think we should be aware of our surroundings and be prepared to fight." Ami said.

Makoto began to unpack the grocery from the bags. "Maybe we should inform the Outer Senshi of this new development."

"No!" Usagi said a little too insistently. "There is no need to involve them right now. I mean it could be just a fluke."

Rei surprisingly agreed. "Let's wait until we have more evidence before we involve them."

Usagi breathed a sigh of relief and changed the subject." Now let's bake some pies because I'm starving."

On the other side of town Michiru sat in front of her easel she had placed in her garden located in the backyard. Hotaru played ten feet in front of her as she painted an ocean scene. Haruka was at the racetrack and Setsuna was out shopping. Luckily for her Hotaru did well at entertaining herself allowing Michiru to relax and paint.

Michiru's mirror lay on the stool that was beside her. Out of the corner of her eye she noticed her mirror become active. She placed her paintbrush down, wiped her hands dry, and picked up her mirror. A vision of Usagi danced across her mirrors surface and it appeared that Usagi was in some distress. The vision then was loss and darkness enveloped Usagi. Michiru placed her mirror down and looked to the sky and wondered what darkness was heading their way.

Usagi took her pie out from the oven. It was slightly burnt, but over all it looked good. Usagi crossed her fingers and hoped the pie tasted as good as it looked.

"Very good." Makoto said offering her words of encouragement. "We have to let it cool now and in hour or so we can taste it."

"An hour?" Usagi whined as she looked at the time. She was hungry now.

"Be patient Usagi-chan. Cooking is all about being patient, right Mako-chan?" Ami said as she looked over to Makoto.

Makoto nodded in agreement. "Rushing any of the process will lead to mistakes which could be detrimental to your dish."

Usagi lowered her head and realized she would never be able to cook a real meal. When it came to food patience was not one of her virtues.

Everyone laughed as Usagi hung her head. Her battle for restraint in the presence of food was often comical.

Usagi cleaned her cooking area and hung her apron up. She looked down and noticed her clothes were covered in flour. A majority of the flour on Usagi was from the shelves collapsing causing flour to spray all over her. Luckily she had brought a change of clothes.

"Excuse me everyone. I need to change out of these dirty clothes." Usagi walked back into Makoto's bathroom and closed the door. She removed her dirty closed as washed up. Then reaching into her bag she pulled out a black dress that was tightly fitted at the top and then flared outwards at the hips. After looking in the mirror and being satisfied with her make over she walked back out into the living room with her friends.

Usagi walked into the living room to find her friends sitting on the couch watching T.V. "Is there anything good on?" Usagi said as she sat next to her friends.

"Not really. Just the news." Minako said before pausing and looking at Usagi's new dress. "That's a nice dress are you going out after this."

Usagi blushed and shook her head. "No. I just need to do laundry." It wasn't a complete lie. She was short of clothes and desperately needed to do her laundry. She had actually bought this dress when she went shopping with them a week ago. Although, she thought she would be wearing it for Mamoru and not Sebastian.

"Oh, you're lying. You probably have an iChat date with Mamoru later." Rei teased.

"Shut it Rei-chan" Usagi playfully warned.

"Breaking news." The new caster said bringing the attention of the group to the television. "It appears that the murders of the two local teens may be connected. Authorities are saying both teens died from exsanguination. While the cause of death are the same the authorities are having a hard time connecting the two cases. We'll keep you updated as more information on this story develops."

"How awful for the parents. I can't even imagine what they are going through right now." Makoto said as she watched the news.

"I know." Minako agreed. "To lose your child to a serial killer must be hard to bear. I hope they catch the guy."

Usagi began to think of Keiko as her friends were talking about the case. Keiko had been so broken over her friend's death and Usagi wanted to help give her justice. She hoped she could find the vampire that killed these women and bring their family and friends some sort of peace.

Usagi left her friends after they had tasted the pies they had baked. For the first time she cooked something that was not only edible, but also not bad in taste. Makoto had praised her improved cooking skills and Rei told her it was a fluke. Rei was probably right.

A couple blocks way from Makoto's apartment Usagi texted Sebastian to pick her up. "I just left Mako-chan's apartment. I'm ready."

"Great. I'll be there in 10 minutes." He replied.

Ten minutes after texting Sebastian she heard the familiar sound of his motorcycle pulling up. Sebastian handed Usagi her helmet and help her on to the bike.

"Hold on little rabbit." Sebastian said with a smile before driving off into the night. After a 20-minute ride they arrived at their destination. The building looked like an abandoned warehouse with it's worn tin panel covering. There was a crowd of women gathered outside in various groups enjoying their evening out.

Sebastian parked the bike and helped Usagi off before dismounting himself from the bike.

Usagi took off her helmet and handed it to Sebastian. "There seems to be a lot of women at this bar."

Sebastian laughed to himself as he tied the two helmets to the bike. "That's because this bar is made for women of the Sapphic persuasion."

Usagi looked confused. "Sapphic?"

"The Velvet Underground is a lesbian bar." Sebastian said putting it in words Usagi would understand.

"Oh…So the second victim was a lesbian?"

"I don't know. All I know is that Yoshi said this was the last place she was seen."

"How does Yoshi know about the second victim?"

"I guess he got the information from the owner of this bar. The owner is young vampire, but has excelled in both the vampire world and human world." Sebastian moved closer to Usagi and placed his hand on her back and brought her in closer to him. "You're gorgeous. That dress looks great on you."

Usagi felt her heart flutter as she was pulled into Sebastian embrace. "Thank you. You're looking quite handsome I must day." Sebastian leaned in and kissed Usagi, which she returned willingly.

Sebastian broke the kiss and took Usagi hand, "Come on. Let's go dance."

Usagi smiled and walked hand in hand with Sebastian towards the bar. "I thought we were on business?"

"Well, yes. But that doesn't mean we can't have a little fun."

At the doorway stood a tall muscular woman. "There is a $10 cover." She said as she held out her hand. Sebastian gave the woman $20. " Please remember to stay respectful or you'll be kicked out. " The woman warned Sebastian.

Sebastian nodded and escorted Usagi into the bar. Inside the dance floor was center stage with color strobe lights lighting up the dance floor. At each corner of the dance floor was a cage with a scantly clad woman dancing inside.

"Come with me." Sebastian said as he led Usagi to the dance floor. Sebastian began gyrate his hips to the music as he pulled Usagi closer to him. Usagi matched his rhythm as the dance to the beat.

For an hour Sebastian and Usagi danced and enjoyed each other's company. At the corner of the bar was a red velvet couch and table with a sign that read V.I.P. A young woman sat at the couch flanked by two women. She had shoulder length auburn colored hair and a thin frame. Her piercing green eye contrasted her red hair and black leather attire. Sebastian felt her presence and new she was the vampire he was looking for.

"Usagi, I found the owner of the bar." He whispered into Usagi ear. "I'm going to go talk to her. I'll be back in soon."

"Ok. I'm going to the bar to get a drink." Usagi said as they both went their separate ways.

Sebastian walked over to the woman and introduced himself. "Hello, my name is Sebastian. May I speak with you."?

The woman looked Sebastian up and down. She recognized that he was a vampire and became curious to what he was looking for. "Yes. Please sit down. My name is Riley"

Sebastian sat down across from Riley. "I have some sensitive subjects to discuss with you and I was wondering if we could speak in private."

Sensitive subject was a code name for vampire business. Riley asked her female companions to leave and once they were gone the woman turned her attention back to Sebastian. "Go head."

"I need to ask you about the girl that was killed not far from your club. She was last seen in your club before she was killed." Sebastian said.

Riley nodded in recognition of the case. "Yes. She frequented this bar, but she never seemed to go home with anyone. I don't know her personally so I don't know what information I can provide you."

"I'm wondering if you saw her on the night she was killed." Sebastian inquired.

"Yes. I did see her. She was normally with a group of people, but this time she was a lone. She seemed like she was looking for someone or something."

"Why do you say that?"

Riley reached forward and took a sip of her blood martini. "She didn't come to dance or socialize. She seemed to be hopping around from group to group."

At the bar Usagi asked for a glass of water and leaned against the bar as she waited for Sebastian to return.

"May I buy you a drink."? A woman asked as she joined Usagi at the bar. The woman was extremely tall for a woman by Japanese standards being almost as tall as Sebastian. She was Caucasian with black hair and brown eyes. Her body was athletic in built, but still retained her feminine curves. She wore black ankle length slacks, a thin red shirt, and a leather jacket.

"No thank you…" Usagi began as she met the woman eyes. Before Usagi could finish her sentence she felt something overcome her. It was as if she had no will to resist anything. The woman held out her hand and Usagi instinctively took it. She led Usagi to the dance floor and began to dance with her. Usagi could feel as the woman placed one hand on her back and the other held her hand. They swayed to the music as a second woman came behind Usagi and joined them in the dance.

The first woman leaned forward and kissed Usagi passionately. When the woman pulled away she looked over Usagi's shoulder and smiled to the woman behind Usagi revealing her fangs. The second woman smiled and gently dragged her fangs along Usagi's shoulder and up her neck.

The first woman held Usagi tight and whispered into the second woman's ear. "The first taste is yours."

Riley set down her empty martini glass and returned to her relaxed position. "I really have nothing more to say about victim. I do everything possible to protect my human customers. Some women get bitten here, but they all consent to the interaction." Riley looked over to the dance floor and saw Usagi sandwich in between two women. "It appears the woman you arrived with is in a bit of a situation."

Sebastian turned around and saw that Usagi was about to be bitten by two female vampires. In an instant Sebastian ran over to Usagi and pulled her from the two women. He looked into Usagi's eyes and realized she had been glamorized. He then looked up to the two women recognizing them immediately.

"What do you think your doing?" Sebastian yelled.

"Hey, Sebastian. Sorry we didn't realize she was with you." The first woman said.

"Yes she is with me, but that is not the point Arabella." Sebastian said a little calmer. Sebastian looked back to Usagi and was relieved to see she was coming out of her glamorized state. " You guys shouldn't be glamorizing people in order to feed off them."

Arabella crossed her arms and stared down Sebastian. "You know we don't agree on this issue. Mabel and I have been doing this since you met us. We never kill the girl, we never cause her distress, and we are discrete."

"Discrete?" Sebastian said exasperatedly. "You're on a crowded dance floor."

"Sorry, Sebastian. We won't touch her again. Though, I do want to know why she glows like that." Mabel said as she stared at Usagi.

"She's not glowing." Arabella said in a huff.

Usagi finally came to and realized that she was in the middle of a conversation between Sebastian and two women. "What happened?"

"You were glamorized by these two ladies." Sebastian sighed. "They happen to be apart of my nest. I really didn't want you to meet this way."

Usagi looked back and forth between Mabel and Arabella. "Hello" She said awkwardly.

"Hello, Usagi. I'm Mabel and this is wife Arabella." Mabel chirped. "Well, you sure have been busy Sebastian. We are gone a month and suddenly you have a new girl. Sorry, about the whole glamorizing thing. If we had known you were with Sebastian we would have left you alone."

"Oh, that's ok."

Sebastian looked confused. "You are taking this really well Usagi."

"I'm ok and they seem remorseful…kind of."

"Why don't we take this conversation outside? People are starting to stare." Arabella said as she walked towards the door.

Sebastian, Mabel, and Usagi followed Arabella out of the bar and into the parking lot.

"So how did you guys meet and how long have you been together?" Mabel said with a bounce in her step.

"Well we met a little over a week ago. And he saved me from a vampire attack." Usagi answered.

Mabel pouted her lips and held her hands to her chest. "That's so cute. Sebastian has always been the white knight type of guy. You know we must go on a double date some time soon."

"Hey, let's not jump the gun here." Arabella warned Mabel.

Mabel playfully hit Arabella and shushed her. "Don't pay attention to her Usagi. She has never been the most social person. You would think after a hundred years she would become more out going."

The conversation was broken by the sound of someone screaming. The group turned their heads in the direction of the scream and then took off running. They ran across the parking lot into large back alley. In the alley two women were being attacked by two men and two women.

"Hey! Leave them alone!" Sebastian yelled.

All the vampires turned around and let the women go. The women ran past Sebastian and Usagi into the parking lot.

"You really should mind your own business." One man said as he licked the blood off his lips.

Sebastian could tell that these were young vampires. They were not even a year old. "You're young vampires and I know it can be hard to control those impulses, but you can't attack people like this."

"Thanks gramps. We'll remember that." One of the female vampires said rolling their eyes.

"Who sired you?" Arabella asked the female vampire.

"That's none of you business." The female vampire said as she ran towards Arabella and threw a punch. Arabella blocked the punch and threw the vampire to the ground.

The three other vampires charged Sebastian, Mabel, and Usagi. The first vampire attempted to punch Sebastian, but he easily over powered the vampire and threw him against the wall. The second vampire tried to push through Mabel, but ended up on the ground. The last vampire threw a punch at Usagi which she blocked and with her second hand released a beam of energy. The vampire flew across the alley and landed at the other end.

Mabel and Arabella looked over at Usagi shocked. "I told you she glowed." Mabel said to Arabella.

Mabel was so shocked by Usagi's power that she temporarily released her grip on the female vampire she was holding to the ground. The vampire reached into her pocket and pulled out a knife. The young vampire attempted to stab Mabel in the heart, but Mabel response was too fast and she ended up getting stabbed in the right upper chest. Mabel fell backwards and did her best to protect her heart. Usagi witness the whole thing and being the closest she rushed to Mabel's aid. The vampire threw the knife at Usagi hitting her in the upper left abdomen. Usagi screamed and fell backwards as the vampire took off running into the night.

"Usagi." Sebastian screamed and then knocked out the vampire he had pinned against the wall. Sebastian ran to Usagi's side. "Let me see." He said as he cradled Usagi in his arms.

"Are you ok Mabel?" Arabella asked as she held the last vampire down.

"Yeah. It didn't hit my heart." Mabel responded as she walked over to help Sebastian with Usagi.

Sebastian removed the knife from Usagi's abdomen causing her to whimper. Sebastian covered the bleeding wound and applied pressure.

"That wound is deep we either need to take her to a hospital or you need to give her your blood." Mabel said as she inspected the wound.

"No hospital" Usagi said with a grimace.

Sebastian looked at the wound and then to Usagi. "Usagi I can give you my blood to drink and your wound will heal. Don't worry you won't turn into a vampire. To become a vampire you need to be close to death. But your wound is serious so if you don't want to drink my blood we need to get you to a hospital."

Usagi thought for a moment and she did not want to go to the hospital. "I'll take your blood."

Sebastian nodded and opened his wrist with his fangs. Blood began to flow from his wrist and he offered it to Usagi. Usagi placed her mouth over the wound and began to drink the blood that was filling her mouth. Sebastian let her drink for a minute and then pulled his wrist way. "You're going to be ok. Your wound will begin to heal."

Sebastian was not lying about her wound beginning to heal. She could feel her wound healing from the inside out.

Once Arabella knew Usagi was ok she turned her attention back to the vampire she had pinned down. "Since you don't want to tell me who sired you I want you to send a message to him/her. We will catch them for siring new vampires irresponsibly. And I suggest you and your friends stop attacking humans." Arabella picked up the vampire and pushed her towards the parking lot. The vampire ran off into the night without looking back.

"We should probably get Usagi to our place so she can heal properly. " Mabel said. "Sebastian did you drive your motorcycle here?"

"Yes. Can you drive me and Usagi home?"

"No problem." Mabel said. "Arabella can drive your Motorcycle home."

"Ok." Sebastian stood up with Usagi in his arms and followed Mabel to her car. Once they were at the car, Mabel opened the back seat door allowing Sebastian to place Usagi in the back seat. Sebastian joined her and handed Arabella his motorcycle keys before shutting the door.

"Be careful on the drive home. Make sure no one's following you before you turn down our block. " Arabella said to Mabel before kissing her goodbye.

"I will. And don't driver too fast on that thing." Mabel teased as entered the driver's seat and closed the door.


	11. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Arabella walked down the dimly lit streets of Manhattan. She wore a men style three-piece suit that had not been washed in weeks. The only people out this time of night were drunkards, whores, and vampires. She had not fed in 2 days and was coming increasingly weak. She preferred to feed on attractive women, but she could no longer afford to be so picky. She had picked her victim and followed behind him quietly. He was a young man who spent most of the night gambling. He did not appear to be a lush, but his obsession with Craps had cost him a lot of money.

The man turned down an alleyway and Arabella made her move. Once out of the view of street lamps she lunged forward and pinned the man against wall. The man began to scream as she bit into his throat. The man continued to scream as she fed and Arabella became concerned someone would hear his screams. Arabella pulled away from the man's neck and adjust the man so she could rip out his trachea with her fangs. Blood sprayed against the alley wall and the man fell silent. Arabella finished feeding off of him before allowing his body to collapse.

"You're very messy eater." A man said from behind Arabella.

Arabella spun around and faced the man with blood dripping from her mouth. "Who are you?"

"My name is Sebastian." He said as he pulled a cloth from his breast pocket and handed it to Arabella. "You have very sloppy hunting and feeding techniques. At this rate you'll be staked in 3 months"

Arabella hesitantly took the cloth and wiped her mouth clean of the blood. "Being staked would not be such a bad fate. Better than sleeping in a sewer and feeding off all the drunkards and whores in the city."

"Where is your maker?" Sebastian asked gently.

Arabella looked away from Sebastian, "I don't know. She left me a few weeks after making me."

Sebastian felt bad for this woman. Becoming a vampire was not easy. While you may have the instincts to hunt and feed it did not mean you had the skills to survive. It was customary that most makers guide their progeny for at least 5 years, although most makers kept them for ten years. Without guidance from a maker most new vampires did not live past a year. "How long have you been vampire?"

"Six months." she replied as she started to walk past him.

Sebastian nodded. "Why don't you stay the day at my place. The sun will be up soon and it's just around the block."

Arabella thought about Sebastian's offer and while she didn't want to sleep in a sewer again she wasn't sure she trusted him. "Let me see the place first."

"That seems fair." Sebastian said as he led Arabella away from the alley.

Sebastian walked down the street with his shoes and cane echoing through the night. Arabella walked five steps behind Sebastian with her eyes fixed on the ground. Sebastian's house was a beautiful 3-story brownstone on the corner of a short street. He walked up to the house, opened the door, and allowed Arabella to walk in first.

"This is your home?" she said in amazement as Sebastian turned on the lights. Everything was decorated in Victorian style furniture and appeared to be very expensive. She had never lived in such a nice place.

"Do you like it?" Sebastian asked.

Arabella nodded. "You own this place?"

"Yes I do. My sire gave this house to me when we parted ways" Sebastian said as he walked into the living room and sat on the couch.

Arabella scowled when she heard of Sebastian's good fortune. Her maker had convinced her that being a vampire would solve all her problems in life. As a human she was trapped in poverty working 12 o 16 hour days 6 days a week in a sweat shop. Then one fateful night she was approached by a vampire providing her freedom from poverty. It turned out to be all a lie. The vampire that turned her became bored with her after two weeks and left her to fend for herself.

Sebastian watched Arabella's pensive silence and soothingly invited her to stay over. "Please make yourself comfortable. The sleeping quarters are on the third floor. The window shutters have been nailed shut, therefore no sunlight can penetrate through. You are welcome o stay as long as you wish."

"Than you." Arabella said softly. "If you don't mind I will be retiring to bed."

"Good night."

Arabella walk upstairs to her bedroom for the evening. That night was her last night sleeping in a sewer.

Usagi opened her eyes and found herself nude in a large king size bed. The room seemed to glow as the light from the lamps were reflected from the white sheets. Looking over to her left she saw a nude Sebastian sleeping next to her. Usagi sat up using the sheet to cover her nude body. Her movement roused Sebastian from his sleep and he turned to face Usagi.

"Good morning." Sebastian said with a smile as he moved closer to Usagi. "Did you sleep well?"

Usagi nodded and leaned backwards towards the headboard. "Did we um..sleep together last night?"

Sebastian propped himself up on both his hands so he was face to face with Usagi. "What you don't remember?" He said as he wrapped his arm around her waist bringing her closer to him. "Let me remind you." Sebastian kissed Usagi causing her to relax into his embrace. Once relaxed Sebastian spun Usagi around so she laid on her back. He moved himself on top of Usagi and began to kiss her neck. Usagi sighed with excitement as he kissed her neck and then she felt his fangs brush her skin.

"Go ahead." She said with anticipation.

Sebastian took his cue and sank his fangs into Uasgi neck.

Usagi woke up with a startle and grabbed her neck. She inspected her neck with her fingers and found no bite marks. Looking down she saw that she wasn't nude, but wore a large black t-shirt. She turned to her left and found the bed empty. To her right was Sebastian sleeping in a chair next to the bed. Usagi did her best to quietly move from the bed and walk towards the door.

"How do you feel?" Sebastian asked as Usagi made it to the door.

Usagi turned around and placed her hand on her left side. " It's like I was never hurt last night."

"Vampire blood can grant immortality and can heal, but there are side effects." Sebastian warned.

"What kind of side effects?"

"The most common are: increase in alertness, visual acuity, sensitivity to sound, and physical strength. Euphoria, hallucinations, and hypersexuality are also common." Sebastian said as he walked over to his dresser.

Usagi thought about her dream and suddenly it made sense when she heard one of the side effects of vampire blood was hypersexuality.

Sebastian smiled knowingly at Usagi silence as he picked up neatly folded clothes on his dresser. "The bathroom is down the hall. I placed a towel on the counter for you. Mabel left some of her clothes for you to wear. I'm afraid your black dress is ruined."

Sebastian walked over to Usagi and handed her the clothes.

"Thank you." Usagi said as she took the clothes and walked to the bathroom.

Usagi returned from the bathroom refreshed and dressed in jeans and a tank top. She found Sebastian sitting on his bed reading a book. "Shouldn't you be sleeping? It's kind of late for you."

Sebastian smiled and stood up." I'll sleep once I know you're ok and on your way home."

"I'm fine." Usagi with a weak smile.

Sebastian moved closer and embraced Usagi. "Are you sure your up for all this undercover work? It's dangerous and I don't want you to think you have to this for me."

Usagi looked into Sebastian eyes, "I want to be here with you. I'm enjoying learning about your world. Plus, my life wasn't so quite. I'm surprisingly resilient."

"You're amazing you know that." Sebastian said before kissing Usagi.

Usagi kissed him back and felt her whole body become alive. It was as if she felt every slight movement Sebastian made. She moved her hand across Sebastian's abdomen feeling his toned muscles through his shirt. Usagi's desire began to build within her and it reach a critical pressure point.

Sebastian felt Usagi becoming more frantic in her kissing as her inhibitions began to give way. Sebastian pulled out of the kiss and pressed his forward into Usagi's. "Be careful little rabbit. Vampire blood is a strong aphrodisiac and you may not be able to stop what you start."

"Maybe that wouldn't be such a bad thing." Usagi said as she slowed down her breathing.

"Please don't tease me." Sebastian begged.

Usagi playfully pulled away. "Go to sleep my dark knight. I'll see you later tonight."

Sebastian groaned in frustration and watched Usagi walk out of his room.

Usagi took a cab home and did her best to distract herself. She cleaned the entire house in record time all while dancing to her favorite music. Usagi was so amped up she felt like she had done 5 shots of espresso and eaten 10 cupcakes. By the time she finished cleaning the house she felt she was about to jump out of her own skin. Being unable to take it anymore she changed into some workout clothes and went for run.

Usagi ran to a nearby park in less than 15 minutes. The park was almost 3 miles away and Usagi was hardly an athlete. She was probably the least conditioned Senshi of her group. Yet, she had run 3 miles without breaking a sweat.

Stopping in front of a tree Usagi's attention was drawn to the trees branches. She could swear the tree's branches were shrinking and growing in a rhythmic wave. Usagi walked over to the tree and placed her hand on the trunk. Rubbing the trunk of the tree she felt ever ridge and crack. A branch of the tree hung ten feet above her and she suddenly had the urge to dangle from the branch. Usagi crouched down and then sprung up easily reaching the branch above her.

"Whoa." A boy and girl said together as they watched Usagi from a tree adjacent to her.

Usagi let go of the branch and fell to the ground. "I've been working out a lot. I've made a lot of progress."

"Bullshit." The teenage girl said. "You're totally on V."

Usagi looked at the girl confused. "V?"

"Don't look so innocent." The boy said. "You're on vampire blood and from the looks of it a lot of it."

"You guys have done V?" She asked as she sat down across from the pair.

The boy nodded. "Among other things. V is by far the craziest thing I have tried. It makes you strong, fast, super productive, and all of your sense are heightened,"

"And it makes you horny as hell." The girl said simply.

Usagi laughed nervously at the girl statement. "My name is Usagi."

"I'm Nobu and this is my girlfriend Yuki."

Yuki dug through her large green crochet tote. "You know, no one should roll on V alone." Usagi could see partially into the bag and inside there were multiple bags filled with various items. One bag had various colored pills in it, the seconded one was filled with pot, and the last one appeared to have mushrooms. Yuki squealed as she found what she was looking for inside her bag. She produced a small vile that was filled with blood and presented it to Usagi and Nobu. "I knew I had some V in this bag."

"Score!" Nobu yelled throwing his hands up in the air. 'We should take the V and then take our new friend to Crisis."

"That's an excellent idea." Yuki said as she used the eyedropper top to squirt a small amount of V into her mouth.

Usagi watched as Nobu took a hit of V. "What's Crisis?"

"It's this club that is located in an old underground ruin." Yuki said. "The club is frequented by people who drop V and dance the day or night away."

"Last time we were there we did so much V we hallucinated that vampire gods were talking to us." Nobu said standing up and helping Yuki up.

Usagi stood up and followed Nobu and Yuki, "What did the vampire gods say?"

"They told is how to make a killer tasting meatloaf." Nobu said.

Yuki nodded in agreement. "It's true. We cooked the meatloaf by the vampire gods recipe and it was amazing."

Usagi laughed and followed her new acquaintances down the windy roads of Tokyo. Their journey ended when they stopped in front of a Pachinko parlor. "I thought we are going to a club?"

Nobu shook his head at Usagi's naiveté. "To get into the club we need to get a special token. To get the token we must win a certain amount of the Pachinko balls. We will exchange these balls for parlor tokens and then we will go to an outside vendor. At this vendor they sell the tokens we need to get into Crisis."

"That's quite a process to get into a club." Usagi said looking a little lost.

"The club is very picky of clientele they want to attract." Yuki explained. "To be in the vampire world is like being in organized crime. Vampires live in the shadows and are the under belly of a society. The club owners want to make sure that the people who patron the clubs are use to that kind of lifestyle."

"Don't worry Usagi. I'm an excellent Pachinko player." Nobu said with a smile. "I will get what we need in no time."

Usagi, Nobu, and Yuki walked into the Pachinko parlor and Nobu sat down at one of the machines. Nobu was not inflating his Pachinko skills because with in 30 minutes he had won enough balls to get them into Crisis. Collecting all the Pachinko balls in a bag Nobu walked to counter to trade in the balls for prizes.

"I would like to exchange these for tokens and one cigarette." Nobu said as he placed the bag on the counter.

The parlor employee took the bag and handed Nobu one cigarette and various tokens.

Nobu took the tokens and placed the cigarette behind his right ear. "Thank you." Nobu motioned for Yuki and Usagi to follow and they exited the parlor.

"Can we go to any vendor?" Usagi asked.

Yuki shook her head no. "No. There is only one vendor that sells tokens to Crisis. It's about a block down."

The group walked up to a small booth located at the end of the block. Inside the booth was a man in his forties smoking a cigarette and reading a paper. "Can I help you?" The man said without looking up from the paper he was reading.

"Yes. I would like to exchange these tokens for Crisis tokens." Nobu place the handful of tokens on the counter.

The man took the tokens and placed them into his cash register. He then opened one of the glass display cases inside the booth and produced three red tokens. The tokens were in the shape of blood drops and had the Kanji character for death inscribed on one side.

Nobu took the tokens and hand one to Yuki and Usagi. Nobu then led the group to their final destination. In a dead end alley was a set of stairs that led down into a basement of one of the buildings. At the end of the stairs was a locked door with a buzzer next to the door. Nobu pushed the buzzer and waited.

"Who's there? "A voice said over the intercom.

"We've come to party." Nobu said as he held his token up to the intercom's camera.

A buzzing noise was heard and Nobu pushed the door open. Inside was a white room and what appeared to be a ticket window at the back of the room. A woman sat behind the window and waited for the group to walk to the window.

"I need your tokens please." She said. Nobu handed her the tokens and the woman hit a button to her right. "Go inside. "

Usagi, Yuki, and Nobu open the door and they were again met with another staircase. They followed the stairs down until they walked in an open room. The group was standing on a scaffolding walkway that hugged the walls of the room. Below them was a dance floor, a bar, and various couches and chair for seating. The lighting was constantly changing from one color to the next and was in beat with the techno music that played in the background.

"This is Crisis." Yuki said with excitement. "Come on Usagi let's go dance." Yuki took Usagi hand and led Usagi down the scaffolding stairs and to the dance floor.

On the dance floor Usagi's body instinctively danced to the beat of the music. Usagi was an ok dancer, but today her body seemed to be in control and she was now dancing with unexpected talent.

Yuki smiled at Usagi as she watched her danced. "It's the vampire blood. It has a tendency to just take over your body. Just enjoy the ride Usagi-chan."

And Usagi did just that as she stopped fighting it and just let go.

Two women sat at a table on the other side of the club. They watched Usagi dance with Yuki and Nobu.

"I think she would be a good candidate." The first women whispered to the second.

"I agree. She's very green when it comes to this world." Second woman said. "I bet this is the first time she has used V."

"Probably. Which means we can get her before she becomes a V addict. Plus, I swear I have seen her before."

"Ok. Go talk to her a bring her over here."

The first women stood up and walked over to the dance floor. Walking up to Usagi she tapped her on the shoulder. "Hello, may speak to you in private for a moment?"

Usagi turned around and had to hold back a gasp. In front of her was Keiko. "Sure. I'll be right back guys." Usagi said to Yuki and Nobu.

Usagi followed Keiko to the table where another woman sat. "This is my friend Sidney. We would like to talk to you about a very important subject."

Usagi sat down across from Keiko and Sidney. "Ok. What?"

"I notice that you are on V. Is this your first time using it." Sidney asked.

Usagi fidgeted a bit before answering. "Yes. I was hurt in a fight and I heard that V could heal your wounds. So I bought some and took it. And it healed all my wounds."

"A fight huh?" Sidney said. "Was this fight with a vampire?"

Usagi could tell Sidney was fishing for certain information, but she wasn't sure what her motives were behind these questions. Keiko had screamed at Usagi at the masquerade party that she hated vampires. If Keiko was with Sidney it was likely Sidney was not a fan of vampires. "Yes. A vampire attacked me and attempted to feed off me. I fought the vampire off but I was injured pretty badly."

"Hm. Well, I have a proposition for you." Sidney began. "I'm the leader of this group that hunts vampires. We are selective in our process and I would like you to come to our hangout to see what we do. If you like what you see you can start the initiation process."

Usagi was becoming increasingly wary of the rabbit whole she had fallen down into. The deeper she delved into the vampire world the more characters she found. There were various subcultures to the vampire world. Nobu and Yuki were fun and interesting, but apart of the V subculture. Now she was introduced into yet another subculture, the vampire hunters. "I would like to learn more about this group. When can I come to your hangout?"

"How about tomorrow. That way the V will be out of your system and you can make a decision with no substance influencing that decision." Sidney handed Usagi a Crisis token." Here' s a token so you can meet us back here tomorrow."

Usagi took the token from Sidney. "Thank you."

Keiko had been looking at Usagi with vague recognition the entire time she had been talking to Sidney. "I feel like I have met you before."

"I don't believe we've met." Usagi lied.

"You'll have to forgive Keiko. A few days ago she went to a party to confront vampire and that vampire glamorized her." Sidney placed her hand on Keiko's back and rubbed gently. "I found her at home with no memories of the night before and a built in belief that she wasn't going to visit vampire establishments. We are slowly trying to retrieve the memories of that night."

"I wish you luck with your memory retrieval." Usagi said. "But if you will excuse me I must be leaving. I will see you tomorrow."

"Goodbye." Sidney and Keiko said together.

Usagi looked at her watched as she walked back to Yuki and Nobu. It was getting closer to sundown. "Hey guys. I'm going to head home. It was nice meeting you."

"It was nice meeting you too Usagi-chan." Yuki said giving Usagi a hug.

Nobu handed Usagi a small baggy with a pill inside and the hugged Usagi. "This will help you sleep tonight. V can give you insomnia. We should hangout again sometime."

Usagi waved goodbye and walked up the stairs and outside. As she walked home she wonder if Keiko would ever retrieve her memories of the night of the masquerade party. Usagi was certain that this group of vampire hunters knew more about the girls killed by the unknown vampire. If she could infiltrate their group there was chance she could gain some valuable information. She would discuss the new developments with Sebastian tonight and get his input on the situation.

At home Usagi looked through her closet for something to wear for her evening with Sebastian. As the night drew closer Usagi anticipation enhanced. She was filled with desire to know Sebastian and tonight would be the night. Usagi picked up a bag in the back of her closet and pulled out a short black lace lingerie dress. She had bought the dress over a month ago and never got the chance to use it.

She changed into the dress, fixed her hair, and applied perfume to her neck and wrist. A taupe colored trench coat that reached to just above the knees was used to cover up. Usagi finished her look of with a pair of black heels.

Usagi called a cab and arrived at Sebastian's house just as the sun had set. She knocked on the front door and waited.

The front door open to reveal Mabel: "Good evening Usagi."

"Good evening Mabel." Usagi greeted.

"Sebastian is upstairs in his room." Mabel said stepping aside to allow Usagi inside.

"Thank you." Usagi walked up the stairs and knocked on Sebastian's door. She heard Sebastian say come in so she slowly opened the door and stepped inside. Once inside she made sure to close the door behind her and lock the door.

Sebastian looked up from a book he was reading on his bed to see Usagi. "I was just about to call you so I could pick you up."

Usagi said nothing and instead opened her trench coat and let it slowly fall to the ground.

Sebastian stood up from the bed and looked in awe of the beautiful woman that stood before him. He walked over to Usagi and gently placed his hands on her hips. "Are you sure this is what you want? This is not because you're still feeling the side effects my blood?"

Usagi slowly began to unbutton Sebastian shirt as she looked into his eyes. "I you're your blood coursing through my body." She said as she finished unbuttoning his shirt. "And while it may have lowered my inhibitions it is not the source of my desire to be with you." Usagi placed her hands on his shoulders and pushed his shirt from his shoulders.

Sebastian's shirt fell to the ground exposing his rock hard chest and abs. Usagi kissed his chest and traced his serratus muscles with her fingers causing Sebastian to moan. He could no longer contain himself. He kissed Usagi deeply and passionately while scooping her up in his arms. He carried her over to the bed and gently placed her on the bed.

Thank you everyone for the reviews and please keep them coming. Reviews help push me to my story down on paper.

Sam- While Usagi's power is strong I have chosen to follow Vampire mythology rather than Sailor Moon mythology when it comes to killing a vampire. In Sailor Moon mythology she is always killing/defeating the yoma with one attack (Except for the main villain) . I feel that's just too easy for my stories purposes. In general vampire mythology the only way to kill a vampire is to stake them, decapitate them, or expose them to the sun. I hope that makes sense


	12. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Sebastian knocked on the metal door of a building located in the lower east side. Arabella stood next him in a matching suit with her hair tucked neatly in a hat. The metal peephole opened up and man from behind the door asked for the password.

"Blue eyes." Sebastian replied.

The door opened and Sebastian and Arabella stepped inside. They walked down a narrow hallway until the reached another door. A second man opened the door revealing the main room. Inside was a jazz band that played to a large crowd. The dance floor was filled with men and women doing the Charleston dance to the music. Sebastian and Arabella located a free table and sat down.

The song ended and a young woman stepped onto the stage. She was fair in complexion with fiery red hair and emerald green eyes. She wore a white flapper dress with a matching hat. The band started to play and the woman began to sing. Her sultry voice quite the crowd and captivated their attention.

Arabella watched the woman feeling a connection she had never felt before. The woman made eye contact with Arabella as if she was singing the song to her. Throughout the entire song the woman did not break her eye contact with Arabella.

The song ended and applause erupted from the crowd. The woman bowed to the crowed and then left the stage. She walked over to the bar and ordered a drink. Arabella made her move and walked over to the woman. As the woman was about to pay for her drink Arabella stepped in and handed the bartender money.

The woman smiled as she picked up the martini and raised her glass to Arabella. "Thank you."

"You have a beautiful voice. Are you Broadway bound?" Arabella asked as she leaned in closer to the woman.

"I don't know what my plans are right now." She said with a shrug. "My mother wanted me to become a teacher or a preacher's wife."

"And yet you are here in a dingy bar singing to criminals."

The woman smiled mischievously. "Probation claims another victim. I'm Mabel." She held out her hand to Arabella.

"I'm Arabella." she said taking Mabel's hand and kissing the top. "I think I'm in trouble with such a beautiful woman around."

"Trouble is my specialty." Mabel said seductively.

At the table Sebastian had made contact with his next victim. He had subtly glamorized her and waited for his opportunity to leave with the woman. He looked over his shoulder and realized Arabella had found her own meal. Standing up he escorted the women out the front door and to the nearest alley.

Usagi rested her head on Sebastian chest and gently stroked his abs. Sebastian ran his fingers through Usagi's hair and basked in the post coitus glow.

"Are you sure it's ok I fed off you?" Sebastian asked nervously.

Usagi hugged Sebastian tighter. She had wanted Sebastian to bite her because she was curious about how it would feel. She was embarrassed to admit it, but she found the experience sexually satisfying. "Yes. I liked it when you bit me." She said just above a whisper.

Sebastian was relieved because he was hoping to feed off her in the future. Usagi's blood was by far the most intoxicating blood he had every tasted. After feeding off of her he had a sense of euphoria and peace.

Usagi stomach growled loudly causing Usagi to cover her stomach with her hands in an attempt to quite it.

"Sounds like someone needs dinner." Sebastian smiled and patted Usagi's flat stomach.

Usagi looked up at Sebastian sheepishly and nodded.

Sebastian and Usagi sat up and picked up their respective clothes. "Uh, I didn't bring any other clothes. I kind of dressed for one purpose." Usagi said with embarrassment.

Sebastian laughed. "I'm not complaining. I will go order food and we can have dinner in bed." Sebastian handed Usagi one of his shirts and boxers.

Usagi put on Sebastian shirt and boxer. "Thank you."

Sebastian walked down stairs as Usagi laid back down on the bed.

In the kitchen Sebastian finished calling for delivery from a local restaurant when he heard someone sit at the kitchen table.

"I thought it was weird when Mabel and I returned home from our vacation that we had take out menus from local restaurants. I've forgotten what it's like to have a human in the house." Arabella said as she drank a bottle of A+ synthetic blood.

Sebastian turned around and sat across from Arabella. "Are you and Mabel going out tonight?"

"No. Mabel wants to stay in and have a movie night. I suspect she will ask you and Usagi to join us." Arabella played with the label on her bottle nervously. "Why are you with this girl?"

Sebastian stared at Arabella and waited for her to make eye contact with him. When Arabella finally made eye contact he spoke. "I know you may not understand this, but I am drawn to this woman. I would go as far to say that I love this woman."

"You know this is a temporary situation." Arabella challenged.

A wave of anger ran through Sebastian. "What are you a prophet now?"

Arabella smiled at Sebastian's angry outburst. "Remember last night when Usagi explained to Mabel why she had that amazing power?"

Sebastian nodded. On the ride home Mabel in her natural quest for gossip had grilled Usagi about why she "glowed". Usagi had told her everything about being a sailor Senshi, her future daughter, the various battles with evil, and her future as Queen of the Earth. "What's your point?"

"My point is she has a destiny." Arabella said with a sympathetic tone. "And that destiny is with another man."

Sebastian averted his eyes from Arabella and with a rebelliousness she had not heard from him in years he delcaired: "Destiny can be defied."

"Destiny is by definition a predetermined outcome. No matter what happens now she will end up with him in the end. And after your break up with Kim..,"

Sebastian stood up and slammed his hand on the table. "Stay out of this Arabella. You don't know what you are talking about."

Mabel walked into the room and found Sebastian and Arabella in a intense staring contest. "Ok, take it easy guys. Whatever you guys are fighting about let's do it at a time when we don't have company in the house."

Arabella and Sebastian seemed to relax at Mabel's intervention.

"Good." Mabel said. "Now, Sebastian I would like to invite you and Usagi to join us for a movie. After Usagi eats of course."

"I will ask Usagi if she wants to watch the movie." Sebastian said as he walked away.

"Why are you torturing the poor man?" Mabel asked Arabella as she wrapped her arms around Arabella's shoulders.

"He's always been a sensitive guy and he's going to get hurt if he stays with Usagi." Arabella said leaning into Mabel's hug.

Sebastian answered the door and paid the deliveryman before taking the food upstairs. Once inside his room he found Usagi lying on her stomach on the bed reading one of his books. He smiled at the very cute image before him. His clothes were too large for Usagi, but it was still very sexy on her small frame.

"The food has arrived." Sebastian said bring the food to Usagi.

Usagi clapped her hands together in excitement. "I'm so hungry." Usagi dove into her food in typical Usagi fashion.

Sebastian watched in amazement as Usagi devoured her dinner. Most women were self conscious when eating in front of men. They would eat slowly and then only eat a small portion of the meal in front of them. Sebastian found it refreshing that Usagi felt no need to suppress her love of food in the presence others. "Mabel has invited us to a movie in the den tonight if you are interested."

"That sounds like fun. What movie is it?" Usagi asked with a mouth full noodles.

"I'm not sure." Sebastian said with a laugh.

"I guess it doesn't really matter. It will be fun just to hangout with Mabel and Arabella."

"Well, Mabel will be fun to hangout with, but Arabella is a bit of a sourpuss tonight." Sebastian warned Usagi.

"Just tonight? Arabella seems a bit abrasive in general." Usagi said as she finished her dinner.

Sebastian fell backwards on the bed in a fit of laughter. Usagi had great intuition when it came to others and she had summed up Arabella perfectly. Catching his breath he finally spoke. "She can be aloof. She doesn't trust a lot of people and it can take awhile before she trusts you. Don't take it personal."

"I guess it's good she has Mabel. She seems to balance out her gruff nature." Usagi laid herself next to Sebastian propping herself up on her elbow. "I stumbled on something today that I think can help you."

Sebastian turned on his side to face Usagi. "What happened today?"

"I was a bit hyperactive due to your vampire blood running through me." Usagi began.

"That's to be expected." Sebastian said reassuringly.

"I decided to go on a run, which is weird since I hate to run. But I met a girl named Yuki and boy named Nobu. They were an interesting couple to say the least. They are into experimentation of various drugs. I mean Yuki's bag is pretty much a pharmacy."

"And they do V." Sebastian interjected in attempt to bring Usagi back on track.

Usagi nodded and continued with her story. "Well, they recognized I was on V and asked me to go to a club with them. I can't really explain why I said yes. I didn't know them or where they were taking me. They seemed harmless enough, but you never know I guess."

"V lowers your inhibitions. When people are on V they seek excitement, danger, and adventure. It's all unconscious and hard to control." Sebastian pushed away a stray hair from Usagi face.

Usagi smiled at Sebastian's expression of intimacy. "When I got to the club a woman approached me and to my surprise it was Keiko. She didn't recognize me luckily and asked to discuss something with me. She introduced me to her friend Sidney. They are vampire hunters and offered me a chance to join the group."

Sebastian interest peaked when he heard the words vampire hunter. "You were really approached by vampire hunters?"

Usagi nodded slightly concerned by Sebastian's reaction.

"This is great. We've never been able to infiltrate a vampire hunter group. This could provide answers that we could not achieve by just questioning vampires and their human admirers."

"So this is a good thing?" Usagi asked nervously.

Sebastian moved in closer and kissed Usagi. "Yes. This could be the changing point in this investigation."

Usagi smiled. She was happy she had become more active in their investigation instead of just human arm candy. "They talked about an initiation process. I will know more when I meet with them tomorrow."

"Hmm. The initiation process will be tough. But I'm sure you will pass." Sebastian pulled Usagi into his arms and kissed the top of her head.

Suddenly Jack burst into the room barking. Jack jumped on the bed and used his large size to forcefully break apart the couple.

"Jack, down." Sebastian said firmly.

"Aw, be nice to Jack. He obviously needs some attention." Usagi said embracing the big fluffy Akita.

"He spoiled that's the problem." Sebastian countered. Jack whimpered at Sebastian's comment.

"Don't worry Jack. I will protect you from the big bad vampire." Usagi said kissing the top of Jack's head. Jack seemed to smile in response. Sebastian just shook his head in defeat.

At the door Mabel appeared and knocked gently on the open door. "I knew Jack was up for the job of breaking you two lovebirds apart."

Sebastian turned around shooting Mabel a dirty look. "So this is your doing."

Mabel shrugged. "Yup. It's time for the movie."

Usagi jumped up and walked toward Mabel with Jack in tow. "What movie are we watching?"

"X-men. The second movie." Mabel said stepping aside so Usagi could pass. "Are you coming Sebastian?" Mabel said over her shoulder as she walked away.

Sebastian grumbled and stood up. It was frustrating how Mabel always got her way. That was something both him and Arabella agreed on.

Setsuna woke to someone tugging on her comforter. She turned around to find little Hotaru clutching her favorite teddy bear looking like she was on the verge of crying. "What's the matter sweetie?"

Hotaru sniffled and clutched her teddy bear tighter. "I had a bad dream."

Setsuna sighed and opened her comforter and motion for Hotaru to climb in. "Come here my little firefly."

Hotaru climbed into the bed and snuggled into Setsuna as the comforter covered her. Setsuna wrapped her arms around her daughter doing her best to comfort her. "What was the dream about?"

"Usagi-san. She was running from something in a dark forest. She was very scared." Hotaru said as she burst into tears.

Setsuna held Hotaru tight rocking her until her tears stopped and she drifted to sleep. Setsuna slowly fell back to sleep wondering if Hotaru's nightmare was truly just a dream or a premonition.

On the other side of Tokyo at the Hikawa shrine Rei woke with gasp. Rei's chest was tight and she was having a hard time catching her breath. She did her best to slow her breathing and center herself. She had just had the most terrifying nightmare. Usagi was running through a thick forest from an unknown foe. Rei could feel Usagi desperation and fear. Then whatever was chasing her caught her and everything went black. Some evil was coming into their lives and it was going to be big.

The next morning Usagi woke up in Sebastian embrace. She did her best to gentle remove herself from Sebastian arms. It was a futile attempt because Sebastian stirred as he felt the loss of Usagi's presence.

"Is it time for you to leave already." Sebastian said half asleep.

Usagi stood up and dressed into her lace dress she had arrived in yesterday. "Yes, it's almost 10:30am and I need to go home to get changed before I meet Sidney."

Sebastian watched as Usagi slipped her trench coat over her black lace dress. "Take Jack with you. He will protect you if a bad situation arises."

Usagi turned to Sebastian and kissed him goodbye. "Ok. Plus I'm sure Jack could use a walk."

Usagi walked down the stairs and called for Jack. Jack met Usagi at the door wagging his tail. "Come on Jack we're going on adventure."

In the Outer Senshi home the morning routine was in full swing. Haruka sat at the kitchen table drinking her coffee while reading the newspaper. Setsuna sat next to her reading her book and drinking her own cup of coffee. Michiru was cooking crepes for breakfast at the stove for her family like she did every morning.

Michiru had finished the last crepe on the stove a dropped it on the plate next to her. She added the strawberry and banana filling before folding the crepe on its self. She finished by topping the crepe off with whip cream. Picking up two of the four plates on the kitchen counter she walked over to the kitchen table. She placed one plate in front of Setsuna.

"Thank you Michiru." Setsuna said as she set down her book.

Michiru walked over to Haruka and placed the second plate down in front of her. Haruka caught Michiru's hand and pulled her down for a kiss. "Thank you sweetie."

Michiru smiled as she turned around and walked back over to the counter. "Hotaru! Breakfast is ready." Michiru yelled over her shoulder. She picked up the remaining two plates and placed them in front of the two empty seats.

Hotaru walked into the kitchen and took her seat at the table. Michiru finished washing her hands, removed her apron, and walked over to the table. Michiru noticed her daughter looked tired. "You look exhausted Hotaru. Did you not sleep well last night?"

Hotaru said nothing and leaned forward on the table hiding her head in her arms.

Michiru crouched down next to her daughter placing a hand on top of her head. "It's ok. You can tell us."

Setsuna noticed that Hotaru's shoulders were beginning to shake. "She had a nightmare last night about Usagi"

Michiru nodded and stood up. She leaned over and picked up Hotaru holding her close to her. Hotaru wrapped her arm and legs tightly around Michiru. She buried her head into Michiru shoulder and cried.

"Shh. It's ok Hotaru." Michiru cooed as she rocked Hotaru back and forth. "I know nightmares can be scary, but they aren't real."

Hotaru shook her head and lifted her head from Michiru's shoulder. "It wasn't a dream. It was the future!" Hotaru again buried her head back into Michiru's shoulder.

Michiru, Haruka, and Setsuna grave each other gave looks.

Usagi walked down the streets of Tokyo on her way to Crisis. Jack leisurely strolled next to her stopping occasionally to smell a bush or flowers. Usagi made it to the front door of Crisis and pressed the buzzer. Jack instinctively laid outside the view of the video intercom.

"Who's there?" A vVoice came overof the intercom.

"I'm here to party." Usagi said mimicking Nobu the day before while holding up her token.

Usagi was buzzed in and Jack snuck in right behind her. Jack hugged the wall and waited for the second door to open. The woman at the window was not paying attention and took Usagi's token without looking up from her book.

Usagi pushed open the door when the woman buzzed her in. Jack entered first and Usagi followed. Once inside Usagi looked down from the scaffolding walkway onto the dance floor and surrounding tables. In the far corner Usagi located Sidney sitting at a table.

Usagi walked down to the main floor and to Sidney's table. " Hello, Sidney."

Sidney smiled and greeted her guest. "Hello, Usagi. I'm so glad you could make it. " Sidney looked down and saw a brindled colored Akita by her side. "And who is this? We don't usually allow dogs into our group."

"This is Jack. He's my dog and he has a natural instinct when it comes to fighting vampires." Usagi began. "He helped me fight off a vampire the night I was attacked."

Sidney leaned forward and stroked Jack's head "Well, if Jack is a vampire fighter then he is welcome. That's assuming his mommy can get into the club."

"That's the goal." Usagi said with determination.

Sidney motioned for Usagi to follow her and walked to a door at the corner of the club. She knocked on the door and a rectangular metal peephole was opened.

"Password." A woman said behind the door.

"Welcome to the Hellmouth." Sidney responded.

Usagi looked at Sidney with puzzlement. "Really, that's the password. A Buffy reference."

Sidney nodded. 'We take Buffy very seriously here."

Usagi followed Sidney down a narrow stone hallway. Jack was not far behind walking with his head down and ears back. The narrow hallway opened up to large stone room with a high ceiling. To the left was a small bar and bistro type seating. Ahead of her was large mat with various weapons hanging on the wall. On the right was large metal cage lined with black padding.

"What's that?" Usagi asked pointing to the large cage.

"That 's our fighting cage. We have matches there to hone our skills and to initiate people into the group."

"A cage fight is apart of the initiation?"

"That is the final test. You have to make it to that point first." Sidney walked past the large metal cage and unlocked a door located behind the cage. Inside was what appeared to be an office. Sidney sat behind her desk and motioned for Usagi to sit.

Usagi sat down across from Sidney and surveyed her surroundings. A large TV hung on the wall and next to it was a computer system.

"Now, we are an all female vampire hunter group." Sidney began to explain. "There are various mixed and all male vampire hunting groups around, but we all tend to keep to ourselves. This group is about 30 people strong. We patrol every night in groups of five or six looking for vampires causing trouble."

Usagi patted Jack's head as she listen intently to Sidney's explanation of her vampire hunter group. "Do you kill the vampires?"

"Yes. We use various weapons to accomplish this, but if you were to pass our initiation test you will be given on of these." Sidney placed a large sheathed Samurai sword on her desk. The handle had three colored gems placed at various points on the handle. "The Samurai sword is the perfect weapon against a vampire. The metal is very strong and it can be used to decapitated or impale a vampire. "

Usagi examined the sword and touched the handled. "So what do I have to do to become apart of the group."?

Sidney smiled at Usagi's eagerness to join the group. "You will be given two tests to complete outside of this setting. The purpose of these two tests is to locate a gem at the end of each task. When you have found the two gems you can start your final test, which is a cage fight against one of our best fighters. Only then can you be part of the group. Are you willing to accept the challenge?

The thought of a cage fight scared her, but she knew that being part of this group was the best chance she had at catching the vampire killer. "Yes. I will accept the challenge."

"Good." Sidney reached into her desk and pulled out a scroll. "On this parchment are the clues you will need to find the gems. You must complete these tasks on your own. No one can help you and we will be watching to make sure you are doing this alone."

"I understand." Usagi took the scroll and stood up. "Thank you. I will start on my mission as soon as possible."

"Good luck to you. I hope to see you at the final test."

OK guys I fixed most of the issues with Chapter 10. Hopefully I caught most of my mistakes. Again thanks for the reviews. :) To Bin82501: The guardians will come into the fold, but you have to be patient. ;)


	13. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Arabella walked over to the windows in her room and closed the shudders. She locked the shudders and tested them to ensure no light would enter her room. Turning around she reveled at the site of her lover before her. Mabel lay naked with only a sheet covering her body. She had only been with Mabel for one year, but she knew that for as long as she lived she would never get tired of this sight.

The night she met Mabel she had revealed herself as a vampire and Mabel showed no fear. Mabel seemed drawn to her even more than before. That night she had fed off Mabel for the first time with her new lover's consent. What followed was a fast paced romance that showed no signs of stopping.

Tonight Mabel was pensive as if something weighed heavy on her mind. Arabella returned to her lover's side and embraced her. "Why are you so quite tonight?"

Mabel laid her head down on Arabella's chest. "No heartbeat." She said simply. "What's it like to be dead yet living?"

Arabella was shocked by Mabel's bluntness. "At first it was scary. My maker left me when I was young." Arabella said with a touch of sadness. "I had the desire to hunt and kill, but did not have the skills to do so. I thought becoming a vampire would be better than being human."

"But is it not better than your human life?" Mabel asked apprehensively.

"Well, now it is. But in the beginning no. I was lost, alone, and ill equip to deal with vampire culture."

"What changed?" Mabel asked with a more hopeful tone.

"Sebastian took me in and guided me. I was no longer alone and he taught me that I could indulge my vampire instincts without sacrificing my humanity." Arabella paused for a moment and ran her fingers through Mabel's hair. " Meeting you has also changed everything for me. It's made my new life worth living."

Mabel lifted herself up and kissed Arabella. "I love you so much and I can't see a world without you. Please turn me. I want to spend eternity with you."

Arabella did not know how to respond to Mabel's request. She loved Mabel, but did Mabel really understand the consequences of her request. "Mabel, I would love to have you by my side for eternity, but do you know what you are asking me to do?"

"Yes. I have been thinking about it since the moment I met you. I knew that if I developed a relationship with you it would eventually come to this point."

"We can be together without you becoming a vampire." Arabella countered.

Mabel shook her head at Arabella's response. "It's not the same. I will grow older as you remain the same. And eventually I will die. I want to be your lover, friend, companion, and... your equal."

Arabella clasped Mabel's chin in her hand and looked into her eyes. "Are you sure this is what you want? If I turn you into a vampire you will never be able to return to your human life. You can't have contact with your family or friends. By embracing death you are leaving your current life and being reborn into a new one."

"There is nothing in this human life worth staying for. I have no job; my desire to be a singer is in direct conflict with what my parents want for me. They are in the process of arranging a marriage for me. If I don't get married within a year they are going to disown me."

As Arabella listened to Mabel's explanation she saw her younger self in Mabel's eyes. There was desperation in her to escape the mundane life she was destined for if she remained human. "The process can be scary. Just trust me, ok?"

Mabel nodded as she placed her life into her lover's hands. Arabella laid Mabel on her back and covered her body with her own. She kissed Mabel's lips gently in attempt to quite her nerves. Moving down to Mabel's nape Arabella stopped above her pulsating carotid artery. Arabella sunk her fangs into Mabel's neck and fed off her lover until her heart began to slow and Mabel was on the verge of unconscious. Pulling a way she used one of her long nails to open her own carotid artery and guided Mabel's to her new life force. Mabel drank with a new hunger she never felt before as she entered a new state of consciousness.

Usagi sat outside at a local coffee shop with Jack at her feet looking over the parchment she had just received from Sidney. The parchment was rolled tightly and had a wax seal with the letters TS on the seal. Nighttime was approaching as she opened the parchment. The writing on the parchment looked like it was written by a professional calligrapher and read:

Congratulations you have been selected to join an elite group of vampire hunters. Before you can be baptized into the vampire hunting sisterhood you must past three challenges. Each challenge tests your strength, agility, ingenuity, bravery, stealth and resolve. All of these qualities are necessary in the fight against vampires. The first two challenges you will be asked to find a stone using the clues bellow. Once you have retrieved the two stones bring them to me and your final test will be given. In the final challenge you will be asked to fight one of our strongest fighters. If you pass this challenge you will the have the privilege of calling yourself a Tokyo Slayer.

Clue #1: In the jungle the might jungle this royalty is sleeping tonight. The jungle he sleeps in is made of stone and bars, but that makes him no less regal. Above this sleeping king with his queens by his side you will locate this powerful jewel.

Clue#2: In this sea of forest located at the foot of the tallest mountain is cave of lost souls. Inside this cave your will find the jewel you desire. Follow the green guide to your destination, but beware of the restless souls that roam the forest.

TS

Usagi read the first clue again and turned to Jack. "Do you know what King lives in a jungle of bars and stones?" Jack looked up at Usagi yawned before laying his head back down between his paws. "Well, your no help."

"Hi, Usagi-chan!" A voice came from behind Usagi.

Usagi turned around to see Mabel. "Hey, Mabel. What are you doing here?"

Mabel walked over and sat down across from Usagi. "Arabella and Sebastian got called to an emergency meeting with the Baron. So I thought you and I could have a girls night out."

"That's sounds like fun. Why didn't Sebastian text me that he had a meeting?" Usagi had just finished her question when she felt her cell phone vibrate. She took out her cell phone and read the text:

I have an emergency meeting to attend tonight and won't be able to meet you tonight. Mabel said something about a girl's night out so be careful.

Usagi smiled and replied: "I heard about the meeting from Mabel. She is sitting across from me right now."

"Is that Sebastian?" Mabel asked with a smile.

Usagi nodded as she received a second text from Sebastian.

What? How did she get there so fast? Seriously, be careful with Mabel. She's a wild child.

Usagi smiled and replied: "Don't worry I'll be careful :). " Usagi placed her cell phone down on the table and turned to Mabel. "Sebastian says I should be careful hanging out with you. Apparently, you're a wild child."

Mabel gasped in mock offense. " Sebastian is mistaken. I'm a proper well mannered lady." Mabel noticed the parchment on the table and picked it up. "What's this?"

"That is my path into the vampire slaying group called the Tokyo Slayers."

"Oh yes. I remember Sebastian telling us about this." Mabel began. "If you can get in this could be a big break into the case you and Sebastian are investigating."

Usagi nodded in agreement. "Now I need to find two stones that are hidden somewhere in the city. I only have these clues to find them."

Mabel read the clues and thought for a moment. " I'm not sure about the second clue, but I pretty sure I know where the first stone is located."

"You do!" Usagi almost screamed with excitement and moved closer to Mabel.

Mabel laughed at Usagi reaction. "Calm down. The first clue says: In the jungle the might jungle… Well, that is the beginning of a song called Wimoweh. The song starts out as: In the jungle the mighty jungle the lion sleeps to night."

"So the King they are referencing is a lion?" Usagi asked.

Mabel nodded and pointed to the last line of the first clue. "I think so. Also, lions live in prides made up almost entirely of females and their young with only one or two males in the group. The bars and stone I think is a reference to a zoo."

"There is a zoo not to far from here." Usagi said and then looked at her watch. "But it's closed now."

Mabel stood up and patted Usagi's head. "That won't stop us. Come on you two. We are going to get you that stone."

Jack stood up and barked happily at Usagi. "Are you sure this is a good idea? Won't we get in trouble?"

"Only if we get caught." Mabel said with a smile and a wink.

Usagi felt Jack gently grab her hand with his mouth and pull her to her feet. "I hope you know what you are doing."

Across the city Ami sat next to an indoor pool with her feet dangling in the water. She often used this sports club's pool for her weekly workouts. The pool was located on the top floor and had a beautiful view of the city. It was the perfect place to be alone and relax.

Ami was becoming increasingly concerned by Usagi's behavior. First, was the increase in the power she showed that day at the grocery store. In the past, every time Usagi had an increase in power it was in the presence of a new enemy. Second, Usagi had yet to ask her for help with her summer school homework. If Usagi had homework due or a test coming up she would always call Ami for help. As Ami reflected more Usagi had been hard to get a hold of lately. She wouldn't return texts or calls until hours or days later. When they tired to plan a group outing she said she was busy.

"You look deep in thought. Is something troubling you?" Someone asked bring Ami out of her pensive state.

Ami turned around to see Michiru. "Good evening Michiru-san. Oh, it nothing. Just enjoying some peace and quite."

Michiru sat down next to Ami and placed her feet into the water. "It doesn't look like you were thinking of nothing."

Ami knew the group had decided not to tell the outer senshi about Usagi's new power, but she felt the overwhelming urge to confide in Michiru. "To be honest I'm concerned about Usagi."

"Why is that?" Michiru asked.

Ami leaned back and sighed. "Usagi has been distant lately and secretive. I think something is going on with her. I don't know. Maybe I'm being too sensitive."

Michiru thought of the sign she received from her mirror and Hotaru's nightmare. "Do you think she is in danger?"

Ami dismissed the idea with a shake of her head. "Not right now. But I feel like something big is coming."

"What makes you think that something is coming?" Michiru gently pushed the younger senshi to open up to her.

She looked into Michiru's soft yet wise eyes and her apprehension faded. "A while ago we were all in a grocery store picking up ingredients for a cooking adventure. I had just finished picking up a couple bags of sugar when I looked over to Usagi. She looked frustrated about something and then all of a sudden she began to glow. A bright white beam of energy circled around he like a snake of fire and then it was suddenly released. The force of the energy she released caused the shelves of the entire half of the store to collapse. I've never seen her access that type of energy without transforming."

This new information revealed by Ami caused Michiru's head to spin. The image she saw on her mirror or Hotaru's nightmare alone wasn't worrisome, but with this new information there was cause for alarm. A new enemy was near and could be ready to strike at any moment. "I think we need to keep our guard up. I also think we should keep a closer eye on Usagi. At leas for the moment."

Ami agreed with Michiru. They had to be prepared for a new enemy appearing. "I agree. I will let the others know."

"Good." Michiru said with relief. "Are you and the group coming to Haruka"s race tomorrow?"

"Yes. We are all meeting at Rei's place before the race."

"Great." Michiru said standing up. "We're looking forward to seeing everyone there." Michiru held out her hand to Ami. "Care to have a race?"

Ami smiled and took Michiru's hand. "Sure."

Mabel, Usagi, and Jack stood 50 feet outside the Tama Zoo entrance on the outskirts of Tokyo. Metal bars closed off the entrance to the zoo and with all the lights off the zoo had a creepy aura to it.

"How are we going to get in?" Usagi asked Mabel.

Mabel looked around and with her superior sight located all the security cameras. "Well, first we need to disable all the security cameras at the entrance. "

Usagi squinted her eyes in attempt to extend her visual field. "How can we do that? I can't even see the cameras."

"Don't worry. I will take care of the cameras." Mabel said as she ran towards the entrance. Usagi saw Mabel become a blur and disappear into the night. Once at the entrance Mabel climbed the wall and disconnected the wires on the back of the camera. She then repeated the process for each camera with lightening speed being careful not to be caught on camera.

Mabel returned to Usagi's side and placed her hand on her shoulder. "I have turned off all the cameras and I see a way to get in. Follow me." Mabel turned to Jack: "You stay here Jack and wait for us." Jack laid down in response.

Usagi and Mabel walked to the entrance of the zoo and stopped at the archway that was closed off by metal bars. Mabel pointed up to the left corner where the metal bars had been warped allowing enough space for a person to fit through,

"Are you sure we can fit through that space?" Usagi asked Mabel.

"Definitely. It will be tight, but we can fit. Here I will give you a lift." Mabel said as she interlocked her fingers, bent over, and offered her hands as a step.

Usagi grabbed onto one of the bars and then stepped with her right foot into Mabel's hands. Mabel lifted Usagi up and through the opening. Usagi slowly pulled herself through then jumped to the ground. Mabel was by her side in an instant with little effort.

Usagi walked over to the information desk and looked at the map that was on the building. "The lion enclosure is located in the African Garden. So we need to follow this path on the right." Usagi said pointing to a path.

"How are things going with you and Sebastian?" Mabel asked as they walked to their destination.

"It's going well."

"I can see that. You guys were so cute last night." Mabel teased Usagi.

Usagi blushed at Mabel's comment. "I like him a lot. He's kind and smart. I can't explain it, but I'm drawn to him."

"I know Sebastian feels the same way about you. I'm happy for you guys. It's been 8 years since he has been in a serious relationship."

Usagi knew Sebastian intentions were genuine. Maybe that was why she felt a sense of peace with him.

Usagi and Mabel arrived at the lion exhibit and looked inside. "Do you see anything out of the ordinary?" Usagi asked Mabel.

Mabel scanned the enclosure and notice something hanging from one of the trees. "There is something hanging from that tree in the back. That could be what we are looking for."

"Where are the lions?" Usagi asked nervously.

"I can see two lions sleeping under the a tree adjacent to the tree we need to get to."

"How many lions are in the enclosure all together?"

Mabel smirked. "Eight. Don't worry I'll protect you. If I don't Sebastian will kill me."

Usagi looked at Mabel with wide eyes. "That's not very comforting."

Mabel grabbed Usagi's hand and led her to one of the walls of the enclosure. "You worry too much. Aren't you supposed to be a superhero or something?"

"I wouldn't say superhero…but given the choice of a fight between a yoma or a lion I choose the yoma."

Mabel laughed and then looked at the wall. "This wall will be too high for you to climb. Climb onto my back and I will get you over the wall."

Usagi jumped onto Mabel's back and wrapped her arm around Mabel's shoulders and her legs around Mabel's waste. With impressive strength Mabel jump to the top of the wall landing on the top. She then jumped down and landed in the enclosure. Usagi let go of Mabel and gently let herself down.

"Which tree was it?" Usagi whispered.

Mabel placed her index finger over Usagi mouth to silence her. She then motioned for Usagi to follow her. Usagi mimicked Mabel as they crept forward. Paying particular attention to stepping slowly and softly Usagi surveyed her surroundings. Her eyes had finally adjusted to the darkness as she approached two sleeping lionesses. The two lionesses slept on their side with their heads facing away from her. Usagi could feel her heart start to race and her hands start to involuntarily shake. Usagi tried to take deep breathes in order to slowly her fast beating heart.

When they made it to the tree Mabel pointed up to one of the branches. Up in the one of the braches was what appeared to be a stuff animal. Usagi turned back to Mabel and found that she had already interlaced her fingers to provide Usagi with a lift up. Using her right foot she stepped into Mabel's hands and began to climb up the tree. With Mable's help she was able to grab the first branch and pull herself up.

Climbing up the tree she reached the stuff animal and grabbed it. The animal was a lion that had the logo of the Tama Zoo on its side. The stomach of the stuff animal appeared to have cut open and sown up again. Usagi put the tail of the stuff lion in her mouth and climbed down. Once on the ground Usagi presented the lion to Mabel who looked at it with confusions as if to say " is that it?"

Usagi nodded to Mabel and they started their slow walk back to the wall. Half way to the wall Mabel stopped in her tracks. Mabel grabbed Usagi forearm and pulled her closer to her. Usagi peered over Mabel's shoulder and saw a large male lion staring them down.

"Stay close to me." Mabel whispered as she began to move to the side. Usagi held on to Mabel's waist and followed closely. As the pair moved side ways the lion followed. The pair stopped causing the lion to stop.

"When I say run…run to the wall and wait for me." Mabel said a bit louder this time.

"I can't leave you." Usagi objected to Mabel's suggestion.

"Don't argue." Mabel said sharply. "This lion is going to attack and once I stun it we will quickly jump back over the wall."

Usagi entire body was shaking, but some how she was able to let go of Mabel's waist. "OK."

The lion crouched down and slowly crept forward. Mabel bared her fangs and hissed at the lion. This had no effect and the lion jumped towards Mabel.

"Run!" Mabel screamed as the lion began to jump. Usagi took off running as Mabel grabbed the lion by the throat and used all her strength to push the lion away.

Usagi made it to the wall in an instant. Fear and adrenaline and made her into an elite sprinter. Before Usagi could really appreciate her feat she felt someone grab her around her waist and lift her up. By the time Usagi realized that Mabel had picked her up she was already on the other side of the wall.

"Well, that was fun." Usagi said with a nervous laugh.

"That was a rush. You sure know how to entertain a girl." Mabel said with a wink. "So is the jewel inside the toy?"

Usagi turned the stuff lion on its back and ripped open the stomach. She removed some of the stuffing and pulled out a small leather pouch. Opening the pouch she removed a small blue stone that was in the shape of a heart. "This is what we risked our lives for… a blue heart."

Mabel cocked her head to the side and placed her hands on her hips. "I guess it's kinda pretty. I'm not sure it's worth all the trouble though."

"I agree. The Tokyo Slayers better be as good as they claim to be."

Mabel laughed and patted Usagi on the back. "Come on. We deserve a drink and a little bit of fun. I know a great place to go."

"What kind of place is it?" Usagi asked as she followed Mabel.

"My favorite kind of bar." Mabel said with a smile. "A karaoke bar."

I'm so sorry for the delay in updating. The next chapter will be out faster. Hopefully by Sunday night.

Chapter 12 preview: Fun at the racetracks, Sebastian's surprise for Usagi, and the second challenge. Reviews are always welcome. Have a good week.


	14. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

The sound of an alarm clock ringing woke Usagi from her deep sleep causing her to groan in displeasure. The alarm penetrated through her skull causing an intense pressure deep with in. Before Usagi could open her eyes to see the source of the alarm it was silenced. Usagi opened her eyes abruptly to find Rei standing before her.

"We have to get ready for Haruka's race. Everyone will be over soon." Rei said simply as she moved towards the door. "I will take a shower first."

Usagi sat up and looked at her surroundings. She was in Rei's room and had obviously slept on the floor all night. The room began to spin causing Usagi to lie back down and closed her eyes. Her headache that started from the sound of the alarm was less intense, but still very much present. Usagi had absolutely no clue how she ended up at Rei's place. She remembered going out with Mabel to a Karaoke bar having a few drinks and singing a few songs. The last thing she remembered was Mabel sing a perfect rendition of All That Jazz from the musical Chicago.

About 15 minutes later Rei returned with a towel wrapped around her. "Your turn." She said shortly.

Usagi slowly stood up and looked at Rei. She was looking in her drawer and Usagi sensed she was avoiding making eye contact. Usagi made it to the bathroom and luckily for her just in time. Her nausea was at its peak and she could no longer prevent herself from vomiting.

Five minutes with her head over the toilet brought some relief to her miserable state. Usagi practically crawled into the shower doing her best not to make sudden movements. Usagi leaned her head against the shower wall as the warm stream of water fell on top of her.

Back in the bedroom Rei finished dressing and laid out a second pair of clothes for Usagi. Rei sat down on her bed and thought of how she was going to address Usagi showing up last night intoxicated. Usagi's behavior last night seemed out of character and thus worrisome. Last night Rei had been woken up by a large crash outside near her window. She had jumped to her feet and open the screen wall seeing what she thought was two figures in the distance. Grabbing a broom and a charm to warn off evil spirits she began to walk towards the figures. As she approached she noticed the distinctive odango type hairstyle on one of the figures.

"Usagi-chan is that you?" Rei yelled to the figures.

Suddenly the two figures became just one and a slurred voice replied. "Rei-chan?"

Rei moved closure and confirmed Usagi was the figure in the distance. Usagi seemed unsteady on her feet and her eyes were partially closed. "Baka Usagi. What are you doing here?"

Usagi looked up at Rei with a confused expression. "I live here. What are you doing at my house?" Usagi speech was barely comprehensible.

"This is not your home..." Rei began as she moved closer to Usagi. Once she was only a few feet away from her Rei smelled the faint odor of alcohol. "Have you been drinking?"

"No." Usagi said unconvincingly as she stumbled forward grabbing Rei shoulders for support. "Maybe. " Usagi pause before laughing and saying, "Yes."

Rei rolled her eyes and calmed her anger with a deep breath. Yelling at Usagi at this moment would have no effect on her in this impaired state. "Come on Usagi let's get you to bed."

In the shower Usagi turned the nozzle stopping the stream of hot water. As she continued to lean against the shower wall a thought suddenly burst into her mind. Where was the stone that she had retrieved the night before. Jumping out of the shower Usagi rummaged thru her pockets and pulled out a blue heart shape stone. A sense of relief passed over her along with a new wave of nausea. Usagi threw herself over the toilet and she again vomited. It was going to be a long day Usagi thought as she flushed the toilet.

Rei watched as Usagi walked back into the room. Her face seemed pale and a pained expression was evident. "I put some clothes out on the dresser for you."

Usagi nodded and began to change into the clothes.

"So do you want to talk about what happened last night?" Rei asked gently.

Usagi pulled her shirt over her head before answering. "I went out with some friends from summer school and I guess I over did it."

Rei looked at Usagi in disbelief. "It's not like you to act this way." Rei had seen Usagi drunk before at dance party a year ago, but she had gotten drunk by accident. This time it was definitely intentional.

"I made a mistake and took it too far. Let's not make a big deal about it." Usagi said try her best to stop the discussion.

"Of course it's a big deal." Rei responded with increasing anger in her voice. " You were so drunk you didn't know where you were and could barely walk. You could have been hurt."

Usagi felt some guilt rises within her. While she knew Mabel would have protected her, she did act recklessly. What if a vampire attacked her? She would be unable to protect herself. Usagi could see Rei was furious with her behavior and most of all concerned with her safety. "I'm sorry." Usagi said sincerely. "It won't happen again."

Rei seemed somewhat unconvinced by Usagi's statement. "I hope not. What would Mamoru think about your behavior?"

"Why do you have to bring him into the middle of this." Usagi snapped in sudden rage.

Rei was taken aback by Usagi sudden burst of rage. "I bring him up because if he were here I don't think you would be acting this way."

"Maybe." Usagi said with a shrug. " Let's just drop it, ok?"

"Ok." Rei agreed. A knock at the door broke the tension between them. "That must be everyone else." Rei walked to the door and greeted the group. "Good morning."

"Good morning!" Minako, Ami, and Makoto said in unison.

Rei escorted the group back into her room.

" Oh Usagi, you're already here? I thought you would be the last to show up." Minako said with a wink.

"I got here really early." Usagi said with a laugh.

"Too early." Rei said under her breath.

Ami heard Rei's comment, but brushed it of as Rei and Usagi's normal bickering. Ami looked at her watched and noticed that they had to leave if they were going to catch their bus. "Guys, we need to leave otherwise we are going to miss our bus."

Usagi looked around her and realized the purse she had the night before was nowhere to be found. Both her wallet and phone were in that purse. "Damn it. I left my purse at home." Usagi lied.

"I'll cover you." Rei said giving Usagi a knowing look.

"Thanks." Usagi said sheepishly.

The bus ride to the racetrack was pure torture for Usagi. She spent the entire ride trying to easy her nausea to prevent herself from vomiting. While, she didn't vomit on the bus Usagi had never been so nauseas in her life.

In front of the racetrack entrance the inner Senshi met Michiru, Hotaru, and Setsuna.

"Good morning everyone. We're happy you could make it" Michiru said with a smile.

"Yes. Haruka-papa needs everyone to cheer her on so she can win." Hotaru said jumping up and down with excitement.

The inner Senshi laughed at Hotaru's excitement. They had been looking forward to the race all week. This was the first race Haruka had been in since the battle with Galaxia.

Michiru handed each inner Senshi tickets to the race and lead the way to their seats. The seats were one of the best at the track located in the front and center.

"Wow these are amazing seats." Minako said sitting down between Ami and Makoto.

"I know. We can practically touch the cars." Makoto agreed looking down onto the tracks.

Usagi rubbed her temples, as her headache returned. She looked to her left and saw Ami, Minako, Makoto, and Rei. To her right was Michiru, Hotaru, and Setsuna. The number on the ticket dictated the seating and it was Usagi's bad luck that she had the seat in the middle of her group. Usagi hoped her nausea would subside and she would not have to make it to the bathroom in a hurry.

"Is something wrong Usagi?" Michiru asked breaking Usagi concentration.

"No." Usagi replied. "Why do you ask?"

"You seem very quite today." Michiru said with concern in her voice.

"I'm just tired. I'm not a morning person as you know." Usagi said with a weak smile.

"I know what you need to wake you up." Minako chimed in holding a tray of Nachos and hotdogs up. "Food!"

Even though Minako and Usagi were separated by Makoto and Rei the fragrant odor of the food assaulted Usagi's nose. Usagi could feel her mouth begin salivate with the pre-vomit salvia and she knew it was only a matter of time before she vomited. Standing up Usagi excused herself and crawled over Michiru, Hotaru, and Setsuna to make it to the isle. Usagi ran to the bathroom and shut herself into a stall.

A few minutes later Usagi walked out from the stall to the sink and washed her hands. She was surprised she had anything else to throw up given that she had not eaten since last night. The sound of someone opening a bathroom stall caught her attention and she looked in the mirror to see who else was with her in the bathroom.

Yuki emerged from the stall and slowly walked to the sink next to Usagi. "Morning, girl. We had one crazy night last night. It looks like you and me are in same sorry state."

Usagi had no recollection of Yuki being at the bar last night. "We hung out last night."

Yuki laughed as she finished washing her hands. "You don't remember anything last night do you?"

"Not really. I remember getting a drink at a karaoke bar and singing a few songs. But I don't remember seeing you there."

"The night is a little hazy for me as well. But I know you and me popped a happy pill last night and that's when things start getting hazy." Yuki said as she walked towards the door.

Usagi was shocked by this revelation. "Wait. I took a pill?"

Yuki nodded and open the bathroom door. "Yeah. You were reluctant to take it, but your friend Mabel convinced you it would be fun." Yuki smiled, "And it was fun."

Outside the bathroom Nobu met Yuki and Usagi. "Hey, Usagi you survived last nights adventure." he said patting Usagi's back.

Usagi gave a halfhearted laugh to Nobu's comment. " What happened last night?"

Nobu smiled mischievously. "Well, Yuki and I happen to run into you and Mabel at our favorite Karaoke bar. I knew you were into the vampire scene, but I had no idea you had vampire friends."

"And I can't believe your dating vampire!" Yuki exclaimed loudly.

"Shhhh!" Usagi said placing her hand over Mabel's mouth. " My friends are here and they don't know about the whole vampire thing."

Yuki pulled Usagi hand away and spoke softly. "Sorry."

"What happened at the bar?" Usagi asked turning her attention back to Nobu.

"We had a few drinks and sang a few songs. Your friend fed off a very intoxicated girl and was so gone. Yuki then offered you a little happy pill."

Yuki nodded. "At first you said no, but then Mabel convinced you to take it. She said something profound, but I can't remember what she said."

"I can't remember what she said either." Nobu said furrowing his eyebrows. "We should have recorded her speech."

"I know. We could have made a poster out of her quote and sold it to college kids." Yuki said shaking her head dismay.

Usagi looked at Nobu and Yuki blankly. "Guys, we're getting off topic here."

"Oh, sorry." Nobu said. "After you took the pill let's just say you became really relaxed and happy. We left the bar to go for a walk in the park. That walk turned into skinny dipping in a fountain."

"Skinny dipping!" Usagi said shocked. "Naked?"

Nobu laughed and nodded. "Someone called the cops and when they arrived they wanted to arrest us. Yuki and I ran one way and you and Mabel ran the other way."

Usagi placed her head in her hands and shook her head. "At least I made it to my friends place with my clothes on."

"That's more than we can say." Yuki said with a sigh. "We didn't have the speed of Mabel to gather our clothes. We ran home buck naked."

"No more happy pills for me." Usagi said placing her hands on her hips. "What are you guys doing here?"

Nobu cocked his head to the side. "You invited us."

"Oh." Usagi let her arms drop to her side and her shoulders slouch. "Don't take this personally, but my friends don't know about my vampire lifestyle and you guys are apart of that life style. So I need to ignore you."

Both Nobu and Yuki shrugged. "That's ok. We understand the need to keep things a secret." Yuki said.

Usagi smiled. "Thanks. I need to get back. Have a good day."

Nobu and Yuki waved good bye to Usagi and went their separate ways.

Usagi walked back to her seat and sat down in between her friends.

"Usagi-chan are you ok?" Ami asked with concern.

"I'm fine. I just woke up this morning with an upset stomach." It wasn't a total lie Usagi thought, but she could feel Rei's eye staring her down. Usagi was waiting for Rei to expose her drunken secrete. To Usagi relief Rei said nothing.

By the time Usagi arrived home her headache and nausea had subsided. Haruka had placed third in the race, which meant she qualified for the next round. Haruka had been pleased to see Usagi and the girls supporting her. She expressed this by giving Usagi a giant spinning bear hug. Haruka was lucky Usagi's stomach was empty or that hug could have turned into something tragic.

A tapping on her sliding glass door interrupted Usagi's thoughts. Usagi pushed the blinds to the side with her fingers and saw Sebastian on the other side. Opening the door she greeted her lover with a smile. "Good evening."

Sebastian smiled back and raised his hand revealing Usagi's purse hanging from his fingers. "Missing something?"

Usagi blushed and took her purse from Sebastian. "Thanks. Come inside."

Sebastian walked in the door and closed it behind him. "So I see you survived your night with Mabel. Not many people can boast such a feat."

"I don't know how I survived, but I am thankful I don't remember." Usagi said as she dug through her purse and found her cell phone.

"Ah yes. The first night I went out with Mabel there was absinthe involved. I had a horrible trip and barely made it home before sunrise." Sebastian said wistfully. " Of course she was human back then so she was limited by her mortal condition."

"Absinthe? What's that?" Usagi asked as she plugged in her phone to charge it.

"It's very strong alcoholic drink. Let's just say I had a rough night." Sebastian moved closer to Usagi and wrapped his arm around her waist. "I have a surprise for you. I hope your stomach has recovered from last night."

Usagi was starving and given that her nausea had dissipated food sounded absolutely heavenly. "My stomach and I are on speaking terms again. What's the surprise?"

"I can't tell you it's a surprise." Sebastian smiled and kissed Usagi's neck before releasing her. "I'll wait downstairs for you while you get ready." Sebastian walked out the door and down the hall.

Usagi rushed to prepare for her date with Sebastian. She chose a white spaghetti strapped dress that was tight in the bust and flared out at the hips. A blue sweater and black heels finished off the ensemble. Usagi grabbed her phone and charger and placed it in her purse. Grabbing her purse she walked out of her room and down stairs to the living room where Sebastian was waiting.

"I'm ready." Usagi said as she walked into the living room.

"Your absolutely gorgeous. I'm a lucky man." Sebastian took Usagi's hand and escorted to the door. "I brought my car today. I hope you don't miss the motorcycle."

Sebastian opened the passenger side door of his sports car and Usagi got in. " I do love your motorcycle, but I'll survive."

Sebastian laughed as he closed the passenger side door and proceeded to the driver side. "I'll remember that for next time."

Sebastian drove to the outskirts of Tokyo parking next to the entrance of a park. He opened the door and escorted Usagi down a dirt path.

"Where are we going?" Usagi asked as she looked down the dark wooded path.

Sebastian interlaced his fingers with Usagi's fingers. "Trust me."

The path lead to an opening in the trees revealing a checkered blanket on the ground and a picnic basket. Sebastian led Usagi to the blanket and helped her sit down. "I thought we could enjoy a nice picnic dinner and a movie."

Usagi smiled at Sebastian's gesture. "You don't eat though. And where are we going to watch the movie?"

"Just because I don't eat doesn't mean we can't have a picnic. And we are going to watch the movie here." Sebastian pointed to a projector screen hanging from a tree.

Usagi looked at the projector screen and then turned around and looked at a projector set that was directly behind her. "oh. Thank you for this. It's very romantic." Usagi leaned forward and kissed Sebastian.

" You're welcome." Sebastian said as he pulled away from the kiss. "For dinner we have BBQ chicken, egg salad, fruit salad, and baked beans. I was going to bring wine for the drink, but given your adventures in drinking last night I thought alcohol was a bad idea."

"That was a correct assumption. I'm staying away from alcohol for long time."

Sebastian laughed as he made Usagi a plate from the picnic basket. "I heard from Mabel that you were able to get the first stone."

Usagi nodded and pulled the stone from her pocket. "Mabel and I were almost eaten by lions to get this little stone. Now I just need to find the second one."

"Mabel talked about a second clue. What was the clue?"

"It had to do with the sea of forest at the foot of the tallest mountain. I'm supposed to follow the green guide to the cave of lost souls." Usagi took the plate Sebastian made for her and began to devour her meal.

Sebastian remained quite and looked towards the ski. His pensive state was broken by a sigh. "Well, the tallest mountain is Mount Fuji. There is the Aokigahara forest that is also known as the sea of trees. You could try looking there."

Usagi thought for a moment and then agreed. "Your right. I remember learning about it in class. The forest is so dense that it was known as the sea of trees. I'll go there tomorrow and see if the second stone is there."

"Be careful and try not to get lost. Text or call me when you are leaving the forest. If I don't get a text or call from you by sunset I'll come and find you." There was conern in Sebastian voice, yet an empowering trust mixed in.

Usagi found this trust new and refreshing. While Usagi knew her friends loved her there were times she felt her friends were so over protective that they did not trust her decision making. She often wonder if they thought she was incapable of handling anything serious. "Thank you for believing in me."

Sebastian raised his eyebrows. "Do your friends not believe in you?"

Usagi looked down and spoke softly. "They do and they don't. I think they believe that in the end I will save the world, but at the moment they question my fighting and problem sovling skills. It's like they are waiting for me to grow up, but they don't take the time to see how much I have grown so far."

"Your friends obviously love you and want to protect you. I think they known your a capable fighter, but maybe they need to feel needed."

Sebastains words of wisdom struck a cord with her. At this moment she was trying to find her stregth while distancing herself from her friends. Maybe she was making a mistake by not including her friends in this journey she was on. Usagi kissed Sebastian again thankful she had someone who knew when lead and when to follow. "So what movie are we watching tonight?"

Sebastian picked up a remote controller and pointed at the projector. "Moulin Rouge."

The next morning Usagi woke up in Sebastian's loving arms wrapped protectively around her. Usagi was becoming a custom to waking up with Sebastian next to her. A part of her wanted to stay all day in Sebastian arms, but she knew she had to find the second stone. She knew she would wake Sebastain by trying to sneak out of his arms, but she tried anyways.

Sebastian stired as Usagi expected so she kissed him gently. "Go back to sleep. I'll text you when I'm done and out of the forest. Don't worry."

Sebastain opened his sleepy eyes and nodded. "I'll see you tonight then. I'll pick you up at the train station."

Usagi nodded as she got dressed. "See you tonight. Sweet dreams my love."

At the front door Usagi was tying her shoes when she noticed Jack staring at her. "Sorry, Jack. You can't go with me this time." Jack began to whine so Usagi crouched down and began to pet his head. "I know. I can't take you because I'm taking a train and they don't allow dogs. Don't worry I will spend some quality time with you when I get back."

Usagi open the door and Jack sat obediently at the door way. "Good boy." Usagi said as she shut the door.

The train ride to the Aokigahara forest allowed Usagi to familiarize herself with the history of the forest. According to a travelers guide she picked up at the train station the Aokigahara forest soil was made of volcanic rock making it hard to penetrate with tools. This had left the forest largely untouched by man. The Aokigahara forest was also known as suicide forest because on average 100 people a year kills themselves in the forest. This fact alone gave the Aokigahara forest the reputation of being haunted.

The very thought of visiting a haunted forest caused a shiver to go up Usagi spine. Usagi worst fear was ghosts and she hope she would not find any in the forest today.

Usagi walked from the train to the front of the station. As she waited patiently in line for a cab she heard a dog barking from behind her. Usagi turned around to see Jack behind her. "Jack?" Jack ran up to Usagi and sat by her side. "How did you get here Jack?"

Jack just barked and wagged his tail. Usagi crouched down and shook her head at Jack. "I don't know how I'm going to get you home, but I guess I will figure that out later."

Usagi open a cab door and Jacked jumped. Before the cab driver could protest Usagi jumped in and shut the door. "Please take me to the Aokigahara forest."

The cab driver first looked like he was going to protest the dog that enter his cab, but when he heard the word Aokigahara he was distracted from Jack. "Are you sure that's where you want to go?"

"Yes." Usagi said as she buckled her seatbelt.

The car ride was silent with the driver occasionally looking into his rear view mirror at Usagi. The cab pulled into a parking lot at the edge of the forest. Usagi paid the cab driver and opened the door letting Jack out first. As Usagi slid towards the open door the cab driver stopped her. "You may think life is tough now, but your young and I'm sure many people love you. Remember that when you're in the forest."

Usagi nodded and walked from the cab to the entrance of the forest. She looked behind her and met eye contact with the cab driver before he drove away. He had sadness in his eyes as if he was seeing Usagi's last moments alive.

As Usagi walked down the dirt path that connected the parking lot to the forest she was met by a sign at the entrance that read, "Your life is a priceless gift from your parents. Think about them and about your family. You do not have to suffer alone. Call us." The macabre sign stood in stark contrast to the beautiful natural scenery that was directly behind it.

Usagi had reservations about entering the forest, but her desire to retrieve the second stone was stronger than her fear of ghost. Jack seemed to sense Usagi's reservations and nudged Usagi forward. Usagi smiled at Jack as she felt some relief that Jack was present. "Ok Jack let's go. Stick close."

Usagi entered the forest with Jack on her heels. She walked slow looking for anything that could be the green guide the clue described. As she walked past a closed off section of the forest she noticed a green caution tape tided around a tree. Flimsy rope and a sign that read "no entrance" blocked off the unofficial path. Usagi lifted the rope and let Jack pass under before passing under herself.

She walked over to the green tape and noticed that it lead into the forest like a green path. The green tape was not the only tape that started a path into the forest. Usagi had read that many people who came to the forest to commit suicide were uneasy about there decision and would use various tapes or streamers to mark their path so they would not get lost. Body hunters employed by the government to find bodies in the forest often followed these tapes to a body.

"Let's hope this leads us to a stone and not a body." Usagi said to Jack as she began to follow the green tape.

The deeper into the forest she walked the quieter her surroundings became. She had grown up in a city all her life and was use to noise pollution. It was so quite all she could hear was her and Jack's footsteps.

While the forest had an eerier feeling to it given its history it also had serenity about it. The trees were packed so tightly together that very little sunlight penetrated to the forest floor. As Usagi looked up into the branches she notice a piece of broken rope hanging from a tree. The neighboring tree had a similar sight with a broken belt hanging from one of its branches. Sadness and fear passed through Usagi's body at the sudden realization that someone likely hung himself with that rope.

Not wanting to see any more ropes Usagi focused on the ground and the green tape. After walking more than 45 minutes the green tape disappeared into a small cave located under a large tree. The opening to the cave was very small and she knew it would be hard for her to fit in. Usagi got on her hands and knees and peered into the cave. The cave was about the size of a small living room and was not very deep. It was deep enough so Usagi could stand with a few inches to spare before hitting the ceiling.

Usagi entered the cave feet first maneuvering her body to fit into the small space. She looked out the open once she was in and saw Jack pacing at the opening. "Don't worry Jack I'll be out in a few minutes."

Usagi hands clasped onto the green tape she had followed into the cave and used it as her guide in the dark cave. Taking slow and cautious steps she followed the green tape to the end of the cave. At the end of the tape was a flashlight that had been used to anchor the tape to the cave. Usagi turned on the flashlight and looked directly in front of her.

To her relief a small leather pouch hung from a protruding rock at the end of the cave. The pouch had the letters TS embroidered on the front and Usagi knew that she had found the right place. Usagi took the pouch from the wall and opened it. Inside the pouch was an emerald green stone in the shape of a stake. Usagi examined the stone for a moment before placing it back into the bag.

Turning around to exit the flashlight illuminated a small nook just to the left side of the cave opening revealing two figures. Usagi let out a scream of surprised as she stopped in her tracks. Jack began to bark and pace widely outside the cave at Usagi sudden distress.

Usagi took a moment to calm her self before she attempted to speak. "Hello? Are you ok?" Usagi called out to the two figures. There was no response and no movement. Usagi crept slowly to the opening keeping the flashlight on the two figures. As she moved closer to the opening the two figures were actually two boys around the age of 16. They both appeared to be sleeping, although sleeping in an awkward propped up position. Usagi moved closer to one of the boys and placed her fingers on his neck. There was no pulse and the body was cold. Usagi quickly pulled her hand back as if she had touched acid. The sudden movement caused the body to fall on its side revealing the other side of the boy's neck. On that side of the neck Usagi noticed two puncture wounds. A vampire had killed the boy.

Usagi checked the second boy and found the same results. Usagi couldn't stand to be in the cave any longer and immediately climbed out. She was met by a kiss from Jack on her cheek and a thankful bark.

Usagi washed the slobber of her cheek with her sleeve and turned to Jack. "Come on Jack let's get out of here."

Usagi followed the green tape back and half way back to where she started a man stood just off the path looking at one of the trees. The man was in a business suit and disheveled in his appearance. He was looking intensely at a broken rope that hung in a branch right above him.

"Hello, sir. Are you lost?" Usagi asked the man.

The man turned around to face Usagi. His face was stoic with exception that his eyes appeared to be red from crying, "I'm not lost. Thank you."

"Are you sure? Because I know the way out of this forest." Usagi pleaded with the man.

"I'm fine thank you." The man said as he turned around and began to walk deeper into the forest.

"Please sir, don't go. I'm sure your family is worried about you." Usagi voice was filled with desperation. She knew if she couldn't get the man to turn around he would not be seen again.

The man looked at Usagi. "You're a sweet girl." He said simply before turning around and walking deeper into the forest.

Usagi watched helplessly as the man disappeared into the distance as tears fell down her face. She continued her journey back to the main path doing her best to maintain her composure. When she reached the main path she was met by two forest rangers.

"Miss, you're not allowed off the designated path." The ranger warned.

"I'm sorry, but I thought I saw something so I went to check, Please sir, there is a man in the woods that I think is going to harm himself."

The two rangers attention turned away from Usagi and to the man. "Where did he go?"

Usagi pointed straight behind her. "I tried to get him to come with me, but he wouldn't go."

"Thank you, we'll do our best to find him and bring him back safe." The rangers said as they entered the forest. "Please stay on the designated path from now on." The rangers ran into the forest and were soon out of Usagi's sight. She hoped they found the man before he had a chance to hurt himself.

Usagi grabbed her phone and text Sebastian. "I found the stone and I'm my way back. No need to pick me up at the station since it will still be light out. I'm going to drop the stones off at Crisis."

Well, That's the 12th chapter. I hope everyone had a happy thanksgiving. :)


	15. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Usagi walked down the streets of Tokyo in the late afternoon finding her way to a pachinko parlor. She had never played pachinko before, but she needed to acquire a Crisis token to meet with Sidney. Usagi sat down at a station and looked at the machine. She took her time to read the directions before starting. The first round she lost 10 pachinko balls and the second round she won 7 pachinko balls. At this rate it was going to take her a long time to get enough pachinko balls to be able to purchase a Crisis token.

"I see someone needs a Pachinko expert." Nobu said as he sat down at the station next to Usagi. "I'm guessing you are trying to get into Crisis."

"Nobu!" Usagi exclaimed loudly. "I'm trying to get a token to Crisis, but I don't know if my pachinko skills are up to snuff." Usagi looked at Nobu desperately.

"Ok, move over." Nobu said shooing Usagi from her seat. "I'll get you enough tokens in no time."

"Thank you." Usagi looked around the pachinko parlor and found Yuki nowhere is sight. Nobu and Yuki were like the Ying and Yang of the Taijitu. They were always together and bound in harmony. Usagi felt a sense of imbalance seeing Nobu alone. "Where is Yuki?"

"She is with her family tonight." Nobu said as he played the pachinko machine with precision. "I think we both needed a night without any additives."

Usagi chuckled. "I'm with you on that. I just need to finish some business at Crisis and then I'm taking it easy tonight."

"What business do you have at Crisis?" Nobu inquired.

"I was invited to be a member of the Tokyo Slayers. I'm in the initiation process right now and I have passed two of the three challenges. I'm supposed to meet with Sidney once I completed the first two challenges."

Usagi was waiting for Nobu's signature stoner response to the information Usagi revealed. The normal upbeat and oblivious stoner response was not what Usagi received. Instead he was very quite and focused on the pachinko game.

"Is something wrong Nobu?" Usagi asked unnerved by Nobu's reaction.

Nobu turned toward Usagi and looked her in the eye with a seriousness she thought incapable of Nobu. "Are you sure you know what you are doing? This group that you are getting involved with is no book club. They are a street gang through and through."

Usagi didn't know how to react to Nobu's warning. "I know what I'm getting myself into. I can take care of myself."

Usagi could tell Nobu didn't believe her. "I'm going to be honest here Usagi because I really like you. I'm concerned for your safety. You are romantically involved with a vampire, yet you are going to joining a gang that hunts and kills vampires. I feel you are playing with fire."

"I thank you for your concern and I promise I will be careful." Usagi hoped Nobu was just overreacting to her joining the Tokyo Slayers. Although, a part of her knew his concern was not misplaced.

Nobu seemed to accept Usagi's promise and continued to play the Pachinko machine. Within 20 minutes he had made enough to get Usagi into Crisis. "Here." Nobu said passing a bag full of pachinko balls to Usagi. "Good luck with the initiation and please be careful."

Usagi took the bag from Nobu. "Thank you. Have a good night."

Usagi turned in the pachinko balls for tokens and rushed to the outside vendor. Collecting her Crisis token Usagi made her way down the windy streets of Tokyo. She thought of Nobu's warning and dismissed it as nothing more than rumor. While Sidney and her group looked tough she doubted they were as dangerous as Nobu claimed.

Usagi stood outside the metal door that separated the club Crisis from the Tokyo Slayers hideout. Knocking on the door Usagi waited patiently for the guard on the other end to answer.

"Password." a voice came from behind the door.

"Welcome to the Hellmouth." Usagi replied.

The door opened and Usagi walked down the hallway into the open room in the back. To her left Usagi saw Sidney sitting at the bar with another woman.

Usagi walked up to Sidney and tapped her shoulder. "I have finished the two challenges you gave me." Usagi said as she held up a leather pouch with the Tokyo Slayers logo embroidered on the front.

Sidney smiled at took the leather pouch and opened it. "I knew you would complete the challenges." Sidney poured the contents into her hands. "I guess that means we need to set the date for the final challenge."

Usagi nodded and with fearlessness in her voice said, "I'm ready for my final challenge."

Sidney stood up from her bar stool and face Usagi. "Good. I like your spunk Usagi. You have one week to prepare for the final challenge. As you know the final challenge is a cage fight with one of my best fighters. The rules follow the mixed martial arts rules. If you pass this test you will have the privilege to call yourself a Tokyo Slayer." Sidney handed Usagi a Crisis token. "Return here one week from now at 8:30pm. I wish you good luck."

Usagi put the token into her pocket. "Thank you. I look forward to proving myself to you and the group." Usagi waved goodbye and exited the club. The sun had set as Usagi walked down the alleyway. Pulling out her cell phone she texted Sebastian, "I just finished meeting with Sidney. I'm going to walk to the Crown Game Center."

Usagi walked down the alleyway on her way to the Crown Game Center when something caught the corner of her eye. She turned to her left and leaning against the alleyway wall were the two dead males she had seen in the cave in the Aokigahara forest. Startled by the sight Usagi stumbled backwards running into something hard. She turned around to see the businessman from the forest. Usagi felt as if all the air had been pulled from her lungs as she stared at the man. He looked as if he was about to speak, but as he opened his mouth blood began to pour out. Usagi screamed and ran as fast as she could out of the alleyway into a main street. Bystanders looked on with confusion at Usagi sudden appearance. A car screeched to a stop in front of Usagi just inches away from hitting her. The man in the car honked the horn and began to curse at Usagi.

"Sorry." Usagi said as she stepped out of the street and on to sidewalk. Usagi ran to the Crown Game Center and collapsed at one of the tables placing her head on the table and covering it with her arms.

"Hey, are you ok Usagi?" Motoki Furuhata asked.

Usagi lifted her head and looked at Motoki. For the two years Usagi and known Motoki he had always played the role of a big bother to her and her friends. "Yes, why do you ask?

"You ran in here looking like you had seen a ghost. "

Usagi knew Motoki was joking, but she was surprised how intuitive he was on the situation. "I was just startled a bit, but I'm fine now."

"You just missed Minako and Makoto. They were here for a couple hours playing some racing games." Motoki walked over to the counter and filled a cup full of coffee. Walking back over to Usagi he placed the coffee in front of her. " Here, it's on me. You look like you had a rough day."

Usagi picked up the coffee and took a sip. "Thank you. So who won the race?"

Motoki smiled. "Minako, much to Makoto's displeasure."

Usagi smiled at the thought of Minako making a big scene about wining. "Minako is very good at that racing game. The only one that can beat her Haruka."

"I think Haruka should play her again because Minako is getting a little too cocky about her skills." Motoki sat down across from Usagi. "I spoke with Mamoru yesterday. He seems to be doing well in America."

Usagi felt as if she had just been slapped in the face. Mamoru had obviously not told Motoki that they had broken up. If he had Motoki would have never brought him up. "Mamoru was always well liked by his classmates. It's no surprise he is doing well."

Motoki furrowed his eyebrows and leaned back in his chair. "Haven't you spoken to Mamoru since he has been in America?"

Usagi realized her response about Mamoru had been causal and distant. She needed to elaborate to avoid suspicion. "Of course. I spoke to him yesterday. He is very excited about his new research project." Usagi lied.

Motoki looked relived. "Good. It almost sounded like you hadn't been in contact with Mamoru."

Usagi's cell phone began to vibrate interrupting her conversation with Motoki. The text message Usagi received was from Sebastian. "I'm on my way. I'll meet you there."

"My English tutor is meeting me here before we go to the library for a study session. Thank you for the coffee Motoki. I needed it."

Motoki stood up and smiled at Usagi. "Your welcome. Good luck with your English studies. You'll will needed it when you go to visit Mamoru in America." Motoki waved goodbye to Usagi and return to his work behind the counter.

Looking out the window Usagi watched as Sebastian pulled up to the Crown Game Center on his motorcycle. Sebastian dismounted his motorcycle and removed his helmet before entering the game center. As he sat down from across Usagi he noticed she seemed shaken. "What's wrong my little rabbit?"

Tears began to flow as she recounted the adventure she had experienced during the day. "I found the second stone in a cave in the forest, but I also found two bodies that were killed by vampires. And then …" Usagi voice trailed off and she began to cry.

Sebastian took Usagi hand and stood up. "Shh. It will be ok. Let's go out side." Sebastian guided Usagi outside and stopped next to his motorcycle. Taking Usagi into his arms he pressed her head into his chest as he rocked her back and forth "Now what happened after you found the two bodies?"

"There was this man. I think he went to the forest to kill himself." Usagi sobbed as she told Sebastian the story each word broken by a sharp inspiration. "I tried to get him to come back with me, but he didn't. I think he killed himself." The last bit of control Usagi had ended with the last word she said. Usagi wept into Sebastian's chest holding nothing back.

Sebastian continued to hold Usagi and rock her until her tears finally dried. When Usagi's breathing slowed he pulled her away and looked into her eye. "It's not your fault. You can't save someone that doesn't want to be saved. You tried to save him and that is honorable."

Usagi rested her head on Sebastian's chest and allowed herself to be support physically and emotionally by him.

In the Crown Game Center Motoki walked to the table Usagi had been sitting at and began to clean the table. He looked up and saw Usagi standing outside with a man he assumed was her tutor. To his surprise he notice the man had his arms wrapped around her and she began to rest her head on his chest. The interaction was intimate and Motoki looked on with shock. Was Usagi being unfaithful to Mamoru? Motoki watched as Usagi put on a helmet the man handed her and got onto the back of his motorcycle. Motoki turned around as the motorcycle pulled away and drove off into the night.

Sidney sat at her desk looking over the stones Usagi had given her not too long ago. She was surprised Usagi had completed the task so quickly and wondered if she had a potential new partner on her hands**. **Ruri and her had started the Tokyo Slayers six years ago to combat wayward vampires. Now the Tokyo Slayers were one of the strongest vampire fighting gangs in Tokyo. After Ruri death Sidney had been over burden by the logistics of running the gang by herself. A knock came at the door and Sidney buzzed the person in. "Come in."

Keiko walked into Sidney's office and sat t in the chair across from her desk. "I will be sending Kate to retrieve the surveillance video from the cave tomorrow. Although, we may not get the surveillance video from the Zoo for weeks. Usagi's break in has caused the Zoo to increase night time patrolling making it harder for us to retrieve the video."

Sidney always placed surveillance videos where she hid the stones. The videos were motion sensitive and would capture the moment the subject reached the desired target. If anyone had helped Usagi in her challenge it would be on that video recording. "The video from the cave will be good enough for now. If Usagi turns out to be untrustworthy after we initiate her we will deal with it at that time."

"Have you chosen who will fight Usagi in the last challenge?"

Sidney placed the stones back into the leather pouch and pulled the strings. "Yes, Riley will be the one to fight her." Sidney handed Keiko the pouch. "Please take these to the blacksmith and tell them to start making the samurai sword."

Keiko took the leather pouch from Sidney a looked at her with confusion. "Usagi is a small girl and Riley is twice if not three times her size. Are you sure that's a fair test?"

"It's not supposed to be fair." Sidney said shortly. "If she can handle herself against Riley then she can take on vampires."

Keiko wasn't sure she agreed since each one of the Tokyo Slayers took a few drops of V before going out on vampire patrol. V leveled the playing field a bit because without it Vampires were just too fast and strong. Keiko excused herself as she exited Sidney's office to continue with her errands for the evening.

Sebastian sat crossed legged in front of Usagi in the work out room in his house. Usagi had changed into spandex and a sports bra for the fighting practice.

"I think we should focus on the basic tonight. " Sebastian explained as helped Usagi stretch. "I will teach you the various punching and kicking techniques first. Once you've got a grasp on that we will move to take downs. Tomorrow we will learn grappling techniques including holds and submission."

"That seems like a lot of stuff to remember." Usagi voice was soft and uneasy.

Sebastian walked behind the seated Usagi and gently pushed her into a pike stretching position. "It sounds like a lot right now, but all the moves build on one another. After we have all the moves down we will spar. I'm sure Arabella and Mabel will also love spar with you to build up your skills."

Usagi stood up into a fighting stance. "Ok. Let's start the lesson."

Sebastian laughed at Usagi's eagerness to excel at the new challenge. "That's the spirit. With that attitude you will be a pro in no time."

Usagi smiled coyly back at Sebastian. "That's right so you better be careful."

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves." Sebastian replied as he grabbed a hand held punching bag. "Now with your right fist punch the center of the bag. Make sure to use your core to add strength to your punch."

Usagi followed Sebastian's instructions and contracted her abs and twisted her core as she landed the first punch. This type of training was not new for Usagi. Makoto had led the group in various training exercises before which included martial arts training. Usagi had always been mediocre in her fighting skills not because of lack of talent, but due to lack of practice.

Sebastian held the bag in place as Usagi continued to punch. " Great job. Now I going to move the bag around and you adjust accordingly." Sebastian moved side to side and back and forth trying his best to confuse Usagi. Too his surprise Usagi adjusted fast even blocking when Sebastian attempted to hit her with the bag.

As Usagi practiced she felt a surge of adrenaline course through her body. She was beginning to enjoy this new training and was cursing herself for not applying herself in the past. Hopefully, by the end of this training week her skills would be much improved. Usagi looked forward to showing her friends her new fighting skills. The look of shock on their faces would be priceless.

In the darkness of the cave in the Aokigahara forest the two discarded bodies that lay propped against the cave wall began to stir. At first gentle tremors animated each body before a violent convulsion brought the two boys to life.

The first boy gasped for air while clutching his chest and surveying his surrounding. He looked to his right and saw his classmate with the same expression of bewilderment on his face. "Ishi, where are we?"

Ishi shook his head. "I don't know Tetsuya. What happened?"

Tetsuya searched through his recent memories. He remembered walking home from a late night with Ishi at the game parlor. A man and a woman had accosted them a block away from his home. Unfortunately, he could not remember what happened next. "I'm not sure what happened, but we should get out of here."

Tetsuya evaluated the cave looking for a way out. The opening of the cave caught his eye and he motioned for Ishi to follow. The pair crept forwarded slowly to the opening and crawled out into the forest. Before them was a vast thick forest as far as they could see. The forest was so thick that the night sky was not visible from their position and the surrounding silence added to the eerie nature of the forest

"I can see perfectly." Ishi uttered breathlessly.

Tetsuya found Ishi statement odd until he turned to look at his friend. Ishi normally wore thick glasses and was almost legally blind. "You can see?"

Ishi touched his face looking for his glasses. "My eyesight has been fixed."

"The healing and improvement of the sense is only the beginning of the changes you will be going through." A voice came from behind a tree.

"Who's there?" Tetsuya yelled out in the direction of the voice.

"I'm your maker." A man responded as he walked out from behind a tree. "I gave you life."

Tetsuya and Ishi looked at the man with disbelief.

"Oh, younglings are so cute when they are first changed." A woman said joining the man. "They have no idea what they are."

Tetsuya recognized the man and the woman. They had approached him and Ishi earlier that evening. "I'm not sure who you guys are, but we really need to be getting home now. Our parents will be worried."

The man let out a sinister laugh and approached Ishi and Tetsuya. "You're not going home. That was your old life and now I will introduce you to your new life. Try and find your pulse."

Tetsuya and Ishi hesitantly placed their fingers to their necks to feel their carotid pulse. Panic began to set in for both Tetsuya and Ishi when they were unable to feel a pulse.

"Welcome to your new life as a vampire. You have a choice now. I can kill you now or you can follow my commands and join us in a revolution."

Tetsuya and Ishi were paralyzed with fear and could not answer.

The man looked at his two new progeny waiting for a reply. "I'll take your silence as an agreement to follow my commands. Now, you are young so I brought dinner for you." The man nodded at his female companion who disappeared behind a tree only to appear again with a woman by her side.

Tetsuya looked at the woman and saw the terror in her eyes, as she knew she would be facing death soon. The man grabbed the woman and brought her screaming to Tetsuya and Ishi.

Making the woman kneel the man looked to Tetsuya and Ishi, "Go ahead and eat.

Tetsuya and Ishi looked conflicted and puzzled at the same time. The man shook his head and demonstrated to his progeny by taking the first bite. The woman screamed as the man fed off of her, but the man silenced her by covering her mouth. The man pulled back and pushed the woman forward. With blood dripping from his mouth he ordered his children to feed. "Eat, before your dinner gets cold."

Ishi felt some force overcome him as he smelled the fresh blood. Before he knew it Ishi was feeding off the woman. Tetsuya also had the uncontrollable need to feed, but his conscience was holding him back. Tetsuya felt the man come up behind him and grab his neck. With a firm grip on the back of his neck he pushed Tetsuya forward placing his face at the carotid pulse of the woman. Tetsuya could no longer stop his urge to feed and he bit into the woman's neck.

By the end of the week Usagi had excelled in her fighting skills. She had retained all the punches, kicks, take downs, and grappling moves Sebastian taught her. Tomorrow was the big fight and Usagi was becoming increasingly anxious. She hoped the moves Sebastian had taught her would be enough for her to defeat her opponent.

For her last training night she would be sparing Sebastian, Mabel, and Arabella. Usagi stood in Sebastian's backyard waiting for one of them to attack. Suddenly Usagi felt a large arm wrap around her shoulders and neck. Responding to the attack she place her chin into the crease of the elbow and placed her right leg through the attackers leg. With one smooth motion Usagi flipped the attacker over her hip and on the ground before her. Her attacker was Sebastian and as Usagi held on to his arm she landed a punch his right flank.

Sebastian swung his right leg around tripping Usagi to the ground. Sebastian then jumped on top of Usagi and attempted to get Usagi into a headlock. Usagi wiggled out before Sebastian could apply enough pressure to keep Usagi in the headlock. Sebastian lost his balance after his failed headlock attack giving Usagi an opening to get Sebastian in an elbow lock. Usagi applied pressure to Sebastian right elbow causing Sebastian to tap out.

" Great job! " Sebastian said with a smile. "Now run to the side of the house to face your next opponent."

Usagi nodded and ran to the side of the house. She had barely arrived when Mabel appeared. Mabel rushed in and threw the first punch. Usagi blocked the punch and attempted to punch Mabel in return. Mabel dodged the punch and then landed a light kick on Usagi left shoulder. Usagi knew Mabel was holding back to prevent any real injury to Usagi. She also knew Mabel was too fast and she would not be able to land a punch or kick. Her only hope was to take Mabel down and get her to submit.

Mabel moved closer to Usagi preparing herself for another attack. Usagi knew she needed to take a risk in order to win this sparring match. Usagi lunged forward grabbing both of Mabel's legs and using her shoulder to plow through causing Mabel to fall to the ground. She then put Mabel into a headlock and she wrapped her legs around Mabel's waist securing herself closer to Mabel's body. Usagi then applied gentle pressure to Mabel's neck. Mabel tapped the ground and Usagi released her grip.

Mabel jumped up and helped Usagi to her feet. "Excellent. I do believe Sebastian has made a fighter out of you."

Usagi caught her breath for a moment and gave Mabel a smirk before running to the front of the house to face her final opponent Arabella. As Usagi expected Arabella wasted no time and attacked Usagi with a barge of punches and kicks. Usagi blocked each punch and kick as she slowly moved back. Arabella was not holding anything back and Usagi could sense an aggressive tension coming from Arabella.

Even though Usagi was doing well with blocking the punches and kicks Arabella was throwing she was unable to counter attack. Usagi continued to step backwards as she blocked Arabella's attacked, but slammed into the side of the house stopping her retreat. Usagi lunged forward and pulled Arabella into a hold in order to stop the attack.

"Not holding back are we." Usagi grunted.

"This is a sparing match and I am giving you everything I've got." Arabella replied before slamming Usagi to the ground. Arabella sat on top of Usagi with her legs straddling Usagi. Usagi attempted to punch Arabella, but Arabella pined Usagi's arms to the side.

"What's your problem?" Usagi yelled frustrated at Arabella's aggressiveness that went beyond a normal the sparring match.

"What do you mean?" Arabella asked playing dumb about Usagi's accusation.

"You know what I mean." Usagi continued not backing down. "From the moment you met me you have been down right hostile to me. I have treated you with respect and kindness."

Arabella let go of Usagi's arms and stood up. "It's nothing personal kid. I protect me and mine. And I have no doubt that you love Sebastian, but in the end you will hurt him. Your not good for him."

Usagi sat in silence not sure how to respond. Sebastian ran around the corner with Mabel on his heels interrupting the conversation.

Sebastian walked over to Usagi and helped her up. "Are you ok?"

"Yes." Usagi replied. "Looks like I am 2 of 3 in sparing matches."

"That's good." Sebastian reassured Usagi. Sebastian was oblivious to the content of Usagi's and Arabella's conversation. "I think you will have no problem winning tomorrow, but I think we should go to bed so you are well rested for tomorrow."

Usagi nodded and followed Sebastian into the house to retire for the evening.

At 8:20pm the next evening Usagi stood outside the entrance to Crisis preparing herself for her last challenge. Sebastian had driven her two blocks from the club in his car with Jack in the back seat. She could tell Sebastian was worried about her final challenge and wanted to go with her into Crisis. Usagi did her best to assure Sebastian that she would be fine. Sebastian accepted her assurance and promise to meet her after the challenge, but to be safe he wanted Jack to go with Usagi.

So there she was standing outside Crisis with Jack by her side paralyzed with fear. Jack sensed her hesitation and nudge Usagi's leg with his nose.

Usagi reached down and stroked Jack's head. "I know I should go in, but I just need a moment to gather myself." Jack whined a bit before sitting next to Usagi.

"Maybe you wouldn't be so nervous if you had friends to go in with you." Yuki said as she walked up next to Usagi.

"Yeah. You should have some friends on the inside just as a precaution." Nobu said as he walked up to Usagi's other side.

"Yuki. Nobu. It's great to see you here, but I don't think they will let you in to see the fight."

"We know they won't let us in." Yuki began. "But once Nobu told me that you were about to join the Tokyo Slayers I got building floor plans to Crisis. I was able to find an air duct that is next to the fighting ring. We should be able to keep an eye on you from there."

Nobu placed his hand on Usagi shoulder's, "We staked out the place yesterday and we know how it get into the air duct unnoticed."

Usagi was touched by Yuki and Nobu's gesture and that fact that they would be so close was comforting. "Ok let's go in then."

Usagi, Yuki, Nobu, and Jack walked into Crisis and parted when Usagi reached the metal door to the hideout. Usagi didn't even have to knock because when she approached the door it opened. Two women stood at the entrance to the door and motioned for Usagi to follow them. Usagi followed the two girls down the hallway with Jack on her heels into the main room. The room was filled with women and they seemed to be congregating around the fighting ring. The two women escorted Usagi and Jack to Sidney's office and shut the door.

"Change into the clothes we gave you and don't forget your mouth guard." One of the women said as they both left the room for Usagi to dress.

Usagi changed into the sports bra and boxer shorts that were provided for her. Usagi also adjusted her hairstyle so she had two buns on top of her head. Sebastian had warned her that free hair was a liability and could be used for takedowns. She put on the fingerless boxing gloves and placed the mouth guard in her mouth. A knock on the door came and a woman asked if she was ready, Usagi replied yes and the door opened. Usagi again followed the women, but this time into the fighting cage. Inside the ring was Sidney and the woman she guessed she would be fighting.

"Welcome everyone to the final test for our newest prospect." Sidney spoke to the crowd and waved Usagi over to her. Usagi approached and Sidney grabbed her forearm and raised it in the air. "Her name is Usagi Tsukino and if she is able to defeat her opponent tonight she will become one of us."

The crowd cheered and began to chant something although Usagi could not make out the words.

"Usagi will be fighting against Riley. She is one of our best fighters and known for her bravery."

Riley stood up from a sitting position and walked over to Sidney. Usagi almost fainted at the sight of Riley. She stood about 5'10" tall, appeared to be of European origin, and every muscle in her body was well defined. Her dark brown hair was in a ponytail and Usagi noticed that she had the initials TS on her left flank.

"Dear God. She's an Amazon woman!" A female voice squeaked from the air duct.

Not helping Usagi thought as she heard Yuki's comment. At that moment Usagi remember what Sebastian had told her in their practice sessions. It wasn't always about the fighter strength, but about fighting smart. Usagi knew she had to find Riley's weakness and play more of a defensive role.

Sidney had Usagi and Riley face each other and touch gloves. "Each round will be 3 minutes long with a total of 3 rounds in the match. At the sound of the bell you can begin to fight."

Sidney stepped back and Usagi and Riley got into their fighting stances. At the sound of the bell Usagi and Riley slowly paced around one another. Riley made the first move with a kick to Usagi stomach. Usagi moved back just in time and stepped to the side while trying to land a punch. Riley blocked the punch and managed to punch Usagi in the right ribs. The force of the blow stunned Usagi causing her to step back and clutch her right side.

Seeing the opening Usagi provided Riley advanced and punched Usagi in the jaw and then the left eye. The punches pushed Usagi back against the cage and Riley again advanced. The next punch Usagi was able to block and when Riley moved in she pulled her into a hold.

The sound of the bell signaled the end of the first round and Sidney stepped in between Usagi and Riley. Usagi walked back to her corner and sat on the stool.

A woman came by to inspect Usagi's wounds. Usagi had a small cut above her left eyebrow which the woman cleaned and applied Bacitracin to the cut. "You're clear for the next round." The woman said as she finished cleaning Usagi's face.

Usagi stood up and walked back to the middle of the ring. The bell ran again and the second round began. Riley approached throwing punches at Usagi. Usagi did her best to block the punches, but Usagi knew she could not keep this defensive stance up. Seeing her opening Usagi lunged forward and grabbed Riley's legs. She used her shoulders to force Riley to the ground. Once on the ground Usagi jumped onto Riley landing two solid punches to Riley's face before Riley knocked Usagi off her.

Usagi fell on her back and Riley mounted Usagi as she punch Usagi in the face. Usagi blocked the second punch and used that moment to grab Riley around the neck and bring her closer to her body. As Riley tried to pull away she extended her left arm next to Usagi's head to brace herself. Usagi grabbed Riley's left arm and with her feet flipped Riley onto her back. Once Riley was on her back Usagi wrapped her legs around Riley's left arm and placed pressure onto Riley's elbow joint. Within seconds Riley had no choice, but to tap out or run the risk Usagi would break her elbow. As soon as Riley tapped out Sidney was there to separate the two fighters.

Sidney helped Riley and Usagi up and they bowed to each other. Sidney then grabbed Usagi hand and raised it in the air. "The winner and new Tokyo Slayer member is Usagi!"

The crowd began to cheer and chant as a group of women enter the ring. The group of women grabbed a hold of Usagi and picked her up and took her out of the ring. They carried Usagi to the back of the room and lowered her onto a table. One woman held Usagi's hands over her head while a second woman held her feet.

"Hey what are you guys doing?" Usagi asked as she struggled to get up.

"Your about to be marked as Tokyo Slayer." Sidney said as she held up a hot iron with the letters TS on the front.

"Whoa! That was not apart of the deal." Usagi yelled as she attempted to free herself from her human restraints.

"Don't worry Usagi. It's not as bad as it looks." Sidney said as she moved closer to Usagi. "Hold her down." Sidney commanded as she pushed the hot iron into Usagi left flank.

Usagi screamed as the hot iron burned her skin. Sidney pulled the hot iron off Usagi's left flank and commanded her follows to let go of Usagi. "Welcome to the gang Usagi." Sidney said as she helped Usagi up. "You're a Tokyo Slayer now, so lets celebrate." Sidney said as she passed Usagi a beer.


	16. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Two women exited Crisis with an unconscious Usagi draped over their shoulders. The orders had been to take their newest member home to sleep off all the alcohol she had consumed. Usagi had resisted drinking, but eventually the gang wore down her resolve and she went beer for beer with Sidney. Jack with his head lowered and ears back followed the two women and Usagi.

"She is surprisingly heavy for someone that is so tiny. "The first woman said as she adjusted her hold of Usagi.

"I know. Janice how did we get stuck taking the newbie home?" The second woman sighed as she continued to carry Usagi down the alleyway.

"I don't know Hana. After being with the gang for 6 months you'd think we would get better assignments."

"I have to admit I'm impressed with this one. I thought Riley was going to annihilate her in two seconds. I'm mean look at her. She looks like a wimp." Janice said with a laugh.

Hana also began to laugh. "Yeah, I lost 779 yen on her. Next time I will bet on the underdog."

Janice stopped suddenly causing Hana to stop and Usagi to moan. "Did you hear that?"

Hana shook her head. "No. What do you hear? Vampires?"

"I don't think so, but we are being followed. Here hold Usagi." Janice said as handed Usagi over to Hana.

Hana struggled to hold the unconscious Usagi in her arms. "Hey. Be careful."

Janice turned around and the footsteps she heard stopped. Janice walked forward in the directions of the footsteps and called out into the alleyway. "Whoever's out there you better show yourselves. Because if I have to find you you're going to be sorry."

Yuki and Nobu stepped out from behind a trashcan and faced Janice.

"Who are you and why are you following us?" Janice yelled at Yuki and Nobu.

"Usagi is our friend and we want to make sure she makes it home safe." Yuki explained.

Jack walked over to Yuki and Nobu and sat by their feet.

Janice watched Jack's reaction to Yuki and Nobu and surmised they were telling the truth. "Don't worry. Your friend will be fine. We're taking her home now."

"We can take her home." Nobu offered and Jack barked happily in response.

"That sounds like a good idea." Hana grunted and she shifted trying her best to hold up Usagi.

"Hana, Sidney gave us strict orders to take Usagi home." Janice countered.

"How is Sidney going to know? She went home 30 minutes go and to be honest I don't want to haul this one home. I'm tired and I want to be in my bed. Plus, I have a lot to do tomorrow before I go out on patrol. We should let her friends take her home."

Janice thought for a moment and she had to admit she was tired and didn't want to drag Usagi home. "Fine. You two better get her home safe or I will kick your asses."

Yuki and Nobu approached Hana and took Usagi from her. "Don't worry we'll get her home safe." Nobu promised.

"Good." Hana said as she started to walk off. "I'm going home. Come on Janice."

Janice looked back at Yuki, Nobu, and Usagi before joining Hana.

"Ok, let's get her home." Yuki said as she and Nobu began to walk towards the main street.

"Should we take a cab?" Nobu asked. "She is kind of heavy and we have a long way to go."

"Maybe, but we could get the cops called on us for public intoxication." Yuki responded.

Nobu had not thought of that possibility and agreed it might be too much of a risk to take a cab. Yuki and Nobu continued their slow walk to Usagi's home. As Yuki and Nobu carried Usagi down the sidewalk a black car pulled up beside them and parked. Sebastian exited the car and approached Yuki and Nobu.

"Hello Yuki and Nobu. My name is Sebastian." Sebastian began. "I won't harm you. I'm here to take Usagi home. I will drop you off at your house on the way there."

"We know who you are. Usagi has told us about you." Nobu said. "You don't need to drive us home. We don't live far from here."

"We just wanted to make sure Usagi made it home safe." Yuki looked Sebastian up and down trying to decipher if he was truly trustworthy.

Sebastian smiled at Yuki's devotion to Usagi. "You both are good friends to Usagi and I am thankful that you were there to watch over her." Sebastian opened the passenger side of his car and moved the front seat forward and Jack jumped in the back of the car.

Seeing Jack jump in the back of the car gave Nobu and Yuki some peace of mind. Sebastian pushed the front seat back and helped Yuki and Nobu place Usagi in the car. "Are you sure you guys don't want a ride home?" Sebastian asked as he buckled Usagi's seatbelt and shut the door.

"No thank you. Just get Usagi home safe." Yuki said as she turned to walk with Nobu home.

Sebastian drove Usagi back to her home, carried her into the house, and dropped her off into her bed. After checking her breathing again he tucked her into bed and kissed the top of her head. Sebastian walked to the hallway closet and picked up a bath towel then returned to Usagi's room.

He dropped the towel on the ground and then sat down on the bed next to Usagi. Jack walked to the towel and sniffed the towel. Jack then crouched down and slowly transformed into a young man. The young man was thin and lanky in built, about 16 years old, with long shaggy black hair. He stood up and wrapped the towel around his waist and walked over to Sebastian.

"What happened tonight?" Sebastian asked not taking his eyes off Usagi.

"She defeated the woman she was scheduled to fight tonight." Jack began to recount the events of night. "You would have been proud of her. The woman was twice her size and she held her ground. She was able to force the woman to tap out by getting her into an elbow hold."

Sebastian nodded. "That was her favorite move in practice. Why is she intoxicated? She told me she was staying away from alcohol."

"They made her drink." Jack replied in annoyance by Sebastian stupid question. "They're a gang and forcing compliance is a way of keeping gang members in line. They also branded her on her left rib cage."

Sebastian removed a piece of gauze taped to Usagi's left flank and revealed the Tokyo Slayer logo burned into Usagi skin. "I didn't know they would do this." Sebastian said with regret in his voice.

Jack shook his head in disbelief at Sebastian's recklessness. Sebastian had been so focused on getting Usagi into the gang to get information that he had minimized the risks Usagi was facing. "What did you expect? She joined a gang of course it was going to be dangerous. You should have told her not to join the gang."

"I can't make decisions for her." Sebastian said patiently. "She wanted to help me and I had to respect her decision."

Jack let out a sarcastic grunt. "I wish you would have the same attitude towards me."

"It's not the same." Sebastian said with his voice taking a warning tone. "The last time you wanted to help me it was during the school year and your grades were dropping. I told you school comes first. Junichi"

"Ok you can stop the lecture now because I'm familiar with it. And don't call me Junichi. You know I go by Jack now." Jack said as he rolled his eyes. "So is she going to stay in the gang?"

Sebastian brushed a stray hair from Usagi's face as he examined the bruise developing on her left eye. "Yes. I think it would be best if you followed her to make sure she is safe."

"I agree. I can't explain it, but there is something about Sidney that makes me uneasy." Jack began as he watched Sebastian stroke Usagi hair. "I think she is more dangerous than she appears."

Sebastian clenched his jaw and nodded with silent agreement. Even though he had never seen this woman based on what Usagi and Jack had told him she seemed like a viper ready to strike. He just hoped Usagi would keep her guard up and not trust Sidney too much.

The next morning Jack laid quietly next to Usagi on the bed as he guarded her in his dog form. Sebastian had left before dawn leaving Usagi a comforting note at her bedside. Jack had become attached to Usagi over the last few weeks. At first, Jack thought Usagi was nothing more than a weak schoolgirl. It had been his experience from school that most of the girls were boy obsessed and had no dreams of their own. They seemed so fake always pretending to be the woman the guy they liked wanted them to be.

To his surprise Usagi was strong in more ways than one. Not only could she hold her own on the battlefield, but also she was unafraid to follow her dreams and desires. While the rest of people their age were busy being like their classmates, Usagi wasn't afraid to be herself. She followed her heart no matter the consequences and that was a sign of true bravery in Jack's opinion.

Jack himself was reclusive by nature and as he got older the more he pulled away from people his own age. While he had classmates he was friendly with he had no one he could call a friend. Jack was a shape shifter and because of this secrete he tended to keep his distance from people. He was 7 years old when he first changed into a dog. He had no control over his abilities in the beginning and one fateful night he accidentally changed into a dog in front of his parents. Being a shape shifter was scary enough for a young boy, but the reaction from his parents was down right terrifying. Both of his parents had believed that a demon had killed their son and stolen his body.

Jack had no choice but to run that night. If he had stayed he would have been killed. After two months on the street he was taken in by one of Japan's most influential mafia. He worked as a guard dog and eventually was used in dog fighting to make money. Life in the mafia had been hard. If he wasn't being forced to fight, he was being beat by his guardian. The 8 months he had spent in the mafia was the hardest thing he had to endure.

One night he had ran away after being beaten for stealing food from Katsu. Still hungry he started to dig through the trash for food in his dog form. Jack went from nose deep in garbage to suddenly dangling above the trashcan.

"If you're hungry boy I will buy you dinner." A male voice said. "There's no reason you should eat out of the trash."

Startled by his current predicament Jack transformed back into a young boy. Kicking furiously he attempted to free himself from the man's grasp, but the man pulled him closer into his body and held tight.

"Calm down shape shifter. I won't hurt you." The man yelled.

Jack stopped fighting after hearing the words shape shifter and felt the man put him down on the ground. In one smooth motion the man crouched down, turned Jack around, and wrapped a coat around his naked body. The coat was so large it was more of blanket than coat. Jack looked up at the man and saw a kindness in his eyes that calmed his fears. "Shape Shifter?" Jack whispered.

The man smiled and nodded. "That's what you are little one. It means you can shift into animal forms. As you get older you will be able to shift into various animals. How long have you been shape shifting?"

"For a year." Jack cocked his head to the side and looked into the man's eyes. "How do you know what I am?

"You're not the only one who is special. " The man smiled widely showing his fangs. "I'm a vampire." Jack eyes widened and he began to step back. "Don't worry. I don't feed off humans." He said as he placed his hand on the top of Jack's head and ruffled his hair.

"What's your name?" Jack asked a little more relaxed after hearing the man did not want to eat him.

"Sebastian." He said standing up. "What's your name little man?"

"Junichi."

"Well, Junichi. Let's get you dressed and some real food." Sebastian held out his hand and waited for the boy to grab it.

Jack raised his arm pulling the long jacket sleeves over his hand and took Sebastian's hand. Sebastian and Jack walked hand in hand to Sebastian's car. Opening the passenger side door Sebastian helped Jack into the passengers seat. For months Jack had been beaten into submission to the point he would not speak or move until he was told. Sebastian had a kindness and gentleness that radiated through him and Jack was having a hard time believing he was a creature of the night. He had grown up believing vampires were blood thirty creatures that would kill without a second thought or any remorse. Maybe this was true and Jack was being too trusting.

Sebastian entered the car and started the engine. Sebastian could feel Jack's uneasiness and knew that the only way to dispel those fears was to gain his trust.

After buying clothes for Jack, Sebastian left Jack to changes as he bought the boy food from a local take out. When he returned to the car Jack sat quietly in his new clothes looking out into the street.

"Here. I bought you some chicken teriyaki. " Sebastian said as he handed Jack the food container.

Jack took the container slowly from Sebastian and examined the contents. "Thank you he whispered as he opened the container and began to eat.

"You're welcome." Sebastian responded as he watched the boy eat. "Who's been hurting you Junichi?"

Jack lowered his gaze and stopped eating. "Katsu."

Sebastian nodded grimly. Katsu was a well-known high-ranking official in the Japanese mafia. He was known for his ruthlessness and violence. No one crossed Katsu for fear of his retribution. "How about you come and live with me and my family for awhile. We're not perfect, but we're different like you and we won't hurt you like Katsu. You can stay with us as long as it takes for us to find you a safe place to live."

Jack sat speechless next to Sebastian barely able to comprehend what Sebastian was saying. He knew next to nothing about Sebastian, but he came off as honorable. Jack wanted to live a life free of violence and fear. He was willingly to take the risk leaving Katsu to stay with Sebastian. "OK, but what about Katsu?"

Sebastian smiled as he started the car. "Don't worry about Katsu. I'll deal with him."

Back at the Sebastian residence Mabel fiddled with the new Karaoke machine she had purchased as Arabella watched with amusement from the couch.

"I'm so happy we got to move to Japan. A country that values my two favorite things drinking and singing. " Mabel turned on the Karaoke machine as she took hold of the microphone.

"You sang and fed off drunks back in America. What's so special about Japan?" Arabella said as she rested her head on her hand that was propped up on the back of the couch.

"The Japanese do it better." Mabel retorted. The sound of the lock turning in the front door stopped the conversation. "Sebastian will agree with me."

Arabella snorted. "Of course he will. He loves Karaoke as much as you do."

"Quit being such a sourpuss." Mabel said as she walked to the end of the den. "Hey, Sebastian how about we sing a duet on my new Karaoke machine." Mabel called out to the front door. "Let's show Arabella..." Mabel became silent when Sebastian entered the den.

In front of Sebastian was a young boy around eight years old. The boy's long scraggly hair obscured his eyes partially giving him a sickly look.

"Arabella, Mabel. This Junichi." Sebastian squeezed the boy's shoulder as he introduced him. "He is a shape shifter. He's having hard time controlling his powers so I thought he should stay with us for a while. At least until his powers are under control."

Mabel crouched down to Jack's level and gave the boy a warm smile. "A shape shifter, huh? We haven't seen one of your kind in awhile." Jack responded with a weak smile too nervous to respond verbally. Mabel stood up and extended her hand. "It's getting late I will show you to your new room."

Jack took Mabel's hand and followed her out of the den.

"You brought home a child?" Arabella said from the couch.

"I brought home a shape shifter." Sebastian responded. "He needs a place to stay where he can learn to control his powers."

"So we're going to be parents to a shape shifter?" Arabella sighed as she stood up from the couch.

Sebastian chuckled to himself. "I guess we are. What you don't like the idea?"

Arabella shrugged as she approached Sebastian. "Seems like a lot of work and responsibility. And I'm not sure a bunch of misfit vampires are such good role models."

Sebastian heart went out to Arabella at that moment. Arabella had always seen herself as a monster and had chosen to live in obscurity because it. "People are not always born into the family they want, but eventually they get the family they need."

"I got him settled." Mabel said as she walked into den. "Poor kid is terrified. Sebastian this kid has been mistreated. He has scars and bruises all over his body."

Sebastian nodded grimly and turned back to Arabella. "That's another reason I brought him here. Katsu from the Japanese mafia has been abusing him."

"I would like to tear his throat out for hurting the boy they way he did." Mabel said in uncharacteristic anger.

"Don't worry about Katsu. I'll deal with him." Sebastian said as he squeezed Mabel's shoulder reassuringly.

That was the first night Jack stayed with them. He had found his new family and it was something he was grateful for everyday.

Usagi began to stir breaking Jack from his reverie. Sitting up, Usagi moaned into her hands and rubbed the sleepiness out of her eyes. Once her eyes focused she noticed Jack lying in front of her.

"Good morning Jack." Usagi said with a yawn. "It's a good thing Luna is traveling with Artemis this summer. She would have flipped if I brought a dog home."

Jack sat up and wagged his tail furiously at Usagi's comment.

Usagi smiled and stroked Jack's head. "Thanks for watching over me."

Jack licked Usagi's face as she hugged him and laughed. Jack wriggled his way out of Usagi's grip and jumped to the ground. Tap dancing around in a circle Jack did his best to coax Usagi out o bed.

"Ok. Ok." Usagi said to Jack as she spun around in bed letting her feet dangle off the side. "I'll take you for a walk in a few minutes. Just be patient." Usagi looked to her right and noticed a letter on her nightstand. She recognized the hand -writing as Sebastian's and immediately picked it up. Opening the letter gingerly she read it out loud as if she were telling a story.

"Good morning my little rabbit. I can see from your new scar that you were successful in your endeavor to join the Tokyo Slayers. I'm so proud that you faced your fears and triumphed. I would like to take you out tonight as a celebration. I hope you accept my invitation. If you do please meet me at the park just after sunset."

Usagi smiled as she finished he letter. She liked the fact that Sebastian didn't assume she would say yes to his invitation. He truly was a gentleman in many ways. "I do believe he might be the perfect man." Usagi said to Jack. Usagi looked at Jack in disbelief as she could have sworn she saw Jack roll his eye. Usagi dismissed the silly thought and stood up from the bed.

"Ok Jack I'm going to take a quick shower and then I'll take you on a long walk." Usagi walked past Jack and into the bathroom. Twenty minutes later Usagi return to her room with a towel wrapped around her. Searching through her closet she pulled out two sundresses.

Holding up the sundresses she showed them to Jack who was now lounging comfortably on her bed. "Should I wear the red one or the blue one Jack?"

Jack yawned and turned away uninterested in helping Usagi decide on an outfit.

"Well, your no help." Usagi huffed. "I think the red dress is a better choice. It's a little more versatile than the blue." Usagi put the blue dress back in the closet and began to change in front of the closet. After she had finish changing she turned to Jack and noticed that Jack had been watching her.

Usagi shook finger at Jack and made a Tsk-tsk sound in his direction. "A gentleman turns away when a lady changes." Usagi scolded Jack. Jack responded by lowering his head and whining. Usagi smiled and walked over and kissed Jack on the top of his head. "That's ok. I forgive you."

Usagi walked over to her vanity mirror and looked at the bruise that had developed over her left eye. She delicately touched the bruise wincing at the pain it produced. Picking up her concealer she did her best to hide her black eye. Once she was finished her black eye wasn't immediately noticeable, but still under close inspection could be seen.

Usagi stood up and walked to her bedroom door before she turned around to gesture Jack to follow. "Let's go Jack."

Jack jumped from the bed and followed Usagi out the bedroom.

Usagi walked down one of the streets of her district in Tokyo with Jack in tow. Jack took his time sniffing his surroundings and Usagi adjusted her walking pace to Jack's. After a week of training and the fight last night Usagi was looking forward to a relaxing day.

Feeling the sun on her face Usagi soaked in its warm. Her entire body was sore from the fight with her left rib cage causing her the most discomfort. Even though she had cleaned and applied antibiotic ointment to her wound it was still raw and burning.

Usagi attention was captured by a red Honda accord that pulled up next to her. Inside the car was Sidney and she motioned for Usagi to join her. Usagi open the back door to allow Jack to jump in the back before she entered the passenger side of the car.

"Good afternoon Usagi." Sidney said as she took off down the street. "I see that you've recovered from last night."

"Just barely." Usagi replied while rubbing her temple. "I'm very sore today."

"Don't worry tomorrow you will feel better." Sidney reassured her new recruit. "Tomorrow night will be your first night on patrol so I thought I would prep you for tomorrow."

Usagi nodded and looked at the cross streets and realized they were going in the opposite direction of Crisis. "Are we not going to Crisis?"

"Nope. We have various hideouts through out our territory. I'm going to take you to one and get you updated on the gangs projects."

Sidney parked the car on a side street and escorted Usagi down one of the back alleys. Using her key she opened a door located in the back of the alley. Past the door was a large room separated by wooden dividers. The first section had a couch and various chairs surrounding a large square end table. On the back wall were two flat screen TVs flanked by a large stereo system. The middle section had a small fridge and various cots with pillows and blankets. The Last section contained all the weaponry needed to fight vampires.

"All of our hideouts look similar to this. Crisis is our largest hideout and that's where we hold our monthly meetings." Sidney walked to the center of the room. "These smaller hideouts are used as base camps for people on patrol. They have cots to sleep on, all the weapon needed for patrol, and a place for entertainment."

Sidney walked over to the section with the couch and TVs and motioned for Usagi to sit. Usagi sat down as Jack jumped up and sat next to her. "How many hideouts do you have?"

Sidney sat across from Usagi in a chair and turned on one of the TVs. Projected on the TV was a map of downtown Tokyo. "We have six hideouts. Five of the hideouts line our territory as you see here. " Sidney used a laser to highlight the various hideouts in the Tokyo Slayer territory. "Crisis is centrally located and is easy for any of our members to access."

Usagi examined the map trying her best to remember the locations of the hideouts. At the top of the map was an area highlighted in red. "What's the red area?"

"That is the area you need to avoid." Sidney warned. "The Tokyo Slayers are not the only vampire fighting gang. There is a rival gang that lives in that area. They are known as the Lost Boys. The gang is made up of males, but many of the boys have girlfriends that hang around with them. The Lost Boys have been trying to take some of our territory recently and we've had some rumbles over it. If you're caught alone in their territory they will attack you."

"I don't want to be attacked so I will stay away from that area." Usagi said with a nervous laugh.

"Don't worry Usagi. As long as you're a Tokyo Slayer you will be protected." Sidney said with a smile. "We protect our own."

"Good." Usagi said with a sigh of relief.

"Now, let's get down to vampire business. " Sidney took the remote control and pointed it to the map. The highlighted portions disappeared and was replaced with dots in clusters throughout the map. "We have seen a rise in our vampire population. We use to have 3 nests with 5 vampires in each nest. "

"That doesn't seem like a lot of vampires." Usagi said in disbelief.

"That's the number of vampires in permanent residence in our region." Sidney warned. "It does not include vampire that visit our territory or live on the other districts of Tokyo. " Again Sidney pointed the remote controller to the TV, but this time more dots appeared. "We've recently seen a rise in vampires in our territory. Some are new vampires and some are older that have moved to the area. Now, we have 15 nests in our territory with 10 vampires per nest."

"That's concerning. Why are there so many vampires here?" Usagi said as she stared intently at the map.

Sidney shrugged her shoulders. "We don't know. What we do know is that they haven't been following the rules of vampire society. They are attacking humans and even killing. Something big is coming Usagi and that's why we recruited you and others like you. There is a big battle in our future and we need all the help we can get."

Sebastian and Usagi had been looking for a wayward vampire in order to bring him to the court for punishment. Looking at this map suddenly Usagi feared that she and Sebastian had no idea what they had gotten into. This was not one vampire that had broken the vampire code. It looked like something bigger was taking place.

Sebastian sat on the couch reading one of his favorite books To Kill a Mockingbird. It was an hour before the sun would set and he had decided to relax before meeting with Usagi. To his left sat Arabella curled up in the armchair quietly reading her own book. This was a common scene in the Sebastian nest. Sebastian and Arabella reading their books while Mabel and Jack played a board game.

Mabel entered the living rooming breaking the serene silence. "Where's Jack?"

"With Usagi." Sebastian replied without looking up from his book.

Mabel shook her head as she put her hands on her hips. "He really needs to clean his room. It looks like a bomb went off in there."

Sebastian and Arabella did their best to suppress their smiles. The moment Jack entered Mabel's life she became a mother figure to him. She made sure he was well fed, properly dressed, and always made it to school on time.

The phone began to ring drawing Mabel's attention away from her companions in the living room. She walked over to the phone and answered it. "Hello, this is Mabel."

"Hello, Mabel. This is Cato." A deep male voice responded.

Cato was one of the enforcers from the Northern Territory. Mabel and Cato's path had crossed a few years back when she was following a vampire that had infinity for dog's blood. The problem was the vampire liked to feed off of well fed pets. It caused quite a media frenzy with a high number of pets ending up dead or missing. "Hey, Cato! How have you been?"

"I've been great. " Cato said and Mabel could almost hear the smile in his voice. "Unfortunately this is not a personal call. I have some business to discuss with you and your nest."

"Sure. Just give me a moment and I will put you on speaker phone." Mabel walked into the living room and sat down next to Sebastian. "Hey guys. Cato is on the line. He wants to talk to us about something." Mabel hit the speaker phone button and set the phone on the coffee table. "Everyone can hear you Cato."

"Hello Sebastian and Arabella." Cato began. "I have called you today to help you with the case you are investigating."

Sebastian closed his book and sat to attention. "Have you found some new information?"

"I did. Up here in the Northern territory we have also had some problems with vampires killing humans. We have had a lot of missing person reports filled to the police over the past three months. On top of that we are seeing a lot of new vampires hanging around."

"Have there been any new vampires registered?" Arabella ask. Any new vampire was required to be registered with court by their maker.

"No." Cato responded in a grim voice. "We managed to catch one of these new unregistered vampire last night."

"Did you get any answers from him?" Sebastian asked.

"Not really. He's still a little shaken from being taken into custody. The reason I'm calling is because this new vampire is from Tokyo. Given that he's under your court I'm inviting all three of you for his questioning."

Sebastian sat in silence not sure how to respond. This vampire could provide valuable information, but he did not want to leave Usagi alone. Cato lived in Sapporo and if he were to go Usagi would be totally on her own.

Arabella watched Sebastian conflict unfold and anger began to rise within her. Sebastian had a duty to serve and protect the court and yet he was hesitating because of a girl. "We'll be there tomorrow night. Thank you for the heads up."

"You're welcome." Cato responded confused with the abrupt end to the conversation.

Arabella stood up and turned off the phone before Sebastian could object. Mabel looked hesitantly towards Sebastian waiting for his reaction to Arabella's actions. She doesn't have to wait long.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Sebastian began to yell as he stood up. "This is my investigation and my decision! Plus I'm the leader of this nest and I make the decisions."

"Then act like a leader." Arabella responded bitterly. "You are letting that girl distract you from your duties and responsibilities."

Sebastian was taken aback by Arabella's bluntness, but he knew she is right. He had a job to do and that required going to Sapporo. "Get us tickets to Sapporo Arabella. Mabel please make hotel reservations that suit our needs." Sebastian then left his companions with no further discussion.

Arabella walked out of the living room in silence leaving Mabel alone. "Well, this is going to be a fun trip." Mabel grumbled as she picked up the phone. "I refuse to be in the middle of this fight." She yelled out to no one in particular.

Usagi and Jack exited Sidney's car at the exact location they had been picked up at earlier in the day. Usagi waved goodbye to Sidney as she drove away leaving her and Jack behind. Tomorrow Sidney would pick Usagi up at her house for her first patrol. The mere thought of patrolling caused pangs of anxiety to stir from deep within in her. She had yet to kill a vampire and thought of killing someone even in self-defense gave her pause. Vampires were once human and many still lived pretty benign lives. The Tokyo Slayers would actively be looking for vampire and there would be the possibility that they crossed a vampire that followed the vampire code. Usagi wondered if she had the wisdom and strength to recognize friend from foe in the mist of this new battle.

"Usagi-chan?" A familiar voice broke Usagi from her thoughts.

Turning around to the direction of the voice Usagi saw Makoto in front of her. "Mako-chan."

"Usagi-chan, I haven't seen you in awhile." Makoto said as she approached Usagi.

Usagi could feel guilt rise with in her. She had been neglecting her friends this past month in her quest to find the mysterious vampire outlaw. She felt so disconnected from her friends, which was odd given how close they had become over the past two years. She had been so busy with Sebastian and his world that she had no time to miss her friends. As Makoto stood before her she felt that distance so strongly it brought tears to her eyes.

Looking down in attempt to hide the tears in her eyes she did her best at damage control. "I know. I've been busy with school. How have you been?"

"What's wrong?" Makoto said ignoring Usagi's question as she noticed her tears.

"I miss you guys." Usagi responded honestly.

Makoto smiled gently and pulled Usagi into a hug. "Don't cry Usagi. We know your working hard in summer class and soon it will be over and we can all hangout again."

Usagi hugged Makoto back tightly accepting her comfort. She didn't deserve her kindness, but she welcomed it. "Thank you, Mako-chan." Usagi pulled way from Makoto and looked to the sky. The sun was beginning to set and she knew she had to leave and meet Sebastian in the park. "Sorry, I must go."

Makoto smiled and nodded at Usagi, but her smile turn to a frown in an instant. "Is that a bruise?" She asked as she cupped Usagi's chin and tilted her head to get a better look.

Usagi gently pulled away and smiled sheepishly. "I was running late to school and I slipped. Left a nasty bruise. "

Makoto buys the lie given that the same scenario has happened before. "You should be more careful." Makoto chided Usagi.

"I will." Usagi said as she pets Jack's head. "Come on Jack time to go home."

Makoto looked down at the Akita and then gave Usagi a quizzical look. "Whose dog is that?"

"A neighbors. I'm watching him while their gone." Usagi was becoming concerned about how easy it was to lie to her friends.

"I guess it's good Luna and Artemis are away on vacation then." Makoto said with a laugh and a wink.

Usagi laughed as she waves goodbye to Makoto and made her way to the park.

When she arrived at the park the sun had set behind the horizon and the last bit of sunlight hung in the air. Sitting on one of the park benches Usagi placed her head in her hands. Jack began to whine at Usagi obvious despair. Looking up Usagi reached out and stroked Jack's head and neck. "I don't know how much longer I can keep my two lives separate Jack."

Jack moved in and nuzzled Usagi's face. Usagi hugged Jack and continued to confide in him. "I love my friends and I don't like how I'm treating them right now. At first it made sense to keep them out of my new endeavor, but I realize now that I'm betraying their trust. They've given their lives for me and this is how I repay them. I miss them and I don't know how I'm going to fix this mess I've made."

Usagi sat in silence as the sunlight faded into night. It wasn't long after night descended that Sebastian arrived in the park. Usagi suppressed her feelings of doubt and approached Sebastian with a smile.

Sebastian sensed Usagi's uneasiness as she approached. "Something wrong?" He asked as he pulled Usagi into a tender embrace.

Usagi leaned into the hug and shook her head. "Just a long day."

Sebastian nodded as he released himself from the hug and took Usagi's hand into his. "What did you do today."?

"Jack and I went for a walk." Usagi said as she pointed to Jack.

"Speaking of Jack, go home buddy." Sebastian said in Jack's direction. Jack barked as if in protest before wandering out of the park.

"I met with Sidney today." Usagi said bring Sebastian's attention back to her.

"And?" Sebastian asked as they began to walk down the sidewalk.

"She brought me update with all the gangs workings. They have a total of five hideouts and one rival gang."

"Sounds like a pretty organized group." Sebastian said as he led Usagi over a small bridge into a green grass clearing in the center of the park.

"They are very organized. What I found concerning is that they have seen a significant rise in the amount of vampires in the Tokyo Slayer territory. What's worse is that these vampire seem to be outlaws in the vampire community." Usagi said as she noticed that Sebastian had brought her to a blanket in the center of the clearing.

"Hmm. It appears that we might be dealing with something bigger than one criminal vampire. Do they think this rise in vampires is in anyway an organized effort?" Sebastian asked as he helped Usagi sit down on the blanket before joining her.

"They don't know yet, but they're currently looking into that as a possibility." Usagi looked over to Sebastian and saw concern in his eyes. "What's wrong?"

Sebastian looked down afraid to tell Usagi that tomorrow he would be leaving on special assignment to Sapporo. If Usagi had not been involved with the Tokyo Slayers he would have asked Usagi to join him. It took so much effort to get Usagi into the Tokyo Slayers that an unexplained absence would ruin any accomplishment made over the past few days.

Usagi watch Sebastian intently as he quietly stared at the ground lost in his own thoughts. Lifting his head with her hands Usagi looked into Sebastian's eyes. "What's wrong? You can tell me."

"Tomorrow Arabella, Mabel, and I are leaving for Sapporo. We received a call from an enforcer in the Northern Territory. They've captured a vampire from our territory. He is an unregistered new vampire and could provide some valuable information. We have been invited to join in the interrogation." Sebastian looked into Usagi's trying to gage her reaction.

Usagi understood what Sebastian was really saying, that he was leaving tomorrow and she could not come. He was afraid she would feel abandoned. "Sounds like we both have missions to finish and hopefully by the end we will get the answers we seek." Usagi gave a smile as to reassure Sebastian that she would be fine.

Sebastian looked on with amazement at the beautiful and self -sufficient woman before him. "You are fearless in a way I envy little rabbit. I have no doubt you can handle whatever the Tokyo Slayers throw at you, but it doesn't mean I won't be worried about you."

"Well, I will be worried about you too." Usagi smiled and leaned into Sebastian kissing him on the lips. Sebastian returned the kiss bring Usagi closer to his body.

Sebastian gently pulled way from Usagi and stroked her hair. "Let's enjoy our last night together. I thought we could spend our night looking at the stars."

Usagi always found the night sky calming and peaceful. "That sounds lovely." Usagi said as she nestled herself into Sebastian's arms.

The rest of the night was spent enjoying each other's company as they gazed at the stars. The next morning Usagi quietly left Sebastian's bed kissing him before she left. Sebastian pretended to be asleep, but he watched as Usagi closed the bedroom door behind her. Their last night together had been everything he had wished for. He could still taste Usagi's blood as if he just fed if her. Waves of energy passed through him as it often did when he fed off Usagi. Getting up from his bed he enter the living room as he heard Usagi leave through the front door. Sebastian knew he would be burnt, but he had to watch Usagi leave. To see her in the sunlight even if it was just for a moment. Moving the heavy red curtains he peered outside and watched as Usagi entered a cab, She looked absolutely ravishing in the sunlight. Sebastian was so focused on Usagi that he did notice how much of himself he exposed to the sunlight.

The sunlight hit his hand, but this time it did not burn. Sebastian looked down in shock as his hand remained in the sunlight with no signs of damage. Pulling his hand back Sebastian walked to the front door. Slowly opening the door he again tested his hand in the sunlight. Again nothing happen to his hand. Stepping into the sun Sebastian looked around frantically for signs of burning. To his surprise nothing happened and he stood in the sunlight. It had been over a century since Sebastian had been in the sun and the experience was overwhelming. Tears began to flow from his eyes as he stepped out into his front yard.

Sebastian walked over to a tree and placed his hands on the trunk. Breathing in the crisp morning air he took in this precious moment for he did not know how long it would last. Sebastian felt Usagi blood coursing through him as he looked out over downtown Tokyo. Sebastian only had one thing on his mind at that moment and that was who was Usagi Tsukino?

Thank you all for the positive reviews. Thank you ladygoddess8 for the review I hope you like how this story progresses. I had a bit of a writer's block, but I've gotten past it. Please keep up the reviews. It definitely motivates me to write faster. lol


	17. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

As the sun began to set Usagi stood before her vanity mirror scrutinizing the outfit she chose for her first patrol. She wore snug fitting black boot-cut jeans with black boots that matched her belt. A red v-neck t-shirt accented the black outfit through her black leather jacket.

Walking over to her dresser she picked up a small silver hip flask and examined the fine engravings on the flask. Usagi slowly traced the engraving of a solider holding a musket with her fingers. The man was pointing his musket towards an oncoming army. Sebastian said the battle depicted on the flask was the battle of Gettysburg. His father had been in the battle and had the flask made in commemoration of the battle. Sebastian had stolen his father's flask the night he was changed into a vampire. It was the only thing from his former life he stilled possessed. Sebastian could no longer carry the flask with him because silver is highly toxic to vampires causing server burns.

Usagi opened the flask and gentle dabbed the top leaving a drop of Sebastian's blood on her finger. Sebastian had been concerned that Usagi would be severely injured while he was away so he provided this flask full of his blood in case of emergency. A thin layer of blood on a superficial wound would heal the wound by the next morning. One fourth of the blood in the flask would heal any life threatening internal injuries with in minutes. A few drops on the tongue would provide strength, agility, and heightened senses for hours.

Closing the flask tight Usagi placed the hip flask in one of the inner pockets of her leather jacket. Confident she was prepared for her first patrol Usagi sat down on her bed and took a moment gather herself mentally.

Usagi heard the honking from a car on the street and she knew Sidney had arrived. Running down the stairs Usagi quickly grabbed her keys and money for the night out. After closing the door and locking it, Usagi' walked towards the street nearly tripping over the large Akita lying down in her driveway.

"Jack! How long have you've been outside?" Usagi said as she crouched down next to the large brindle Akita.

Jack stood up to attention and began to wag his tail in response.

Usagi smiled as she stroked Jack's head. "I guess you will be staying with me while Sebastian's away. Next time just bark and I will let you into the house. There's no need for you to stay outside all day."

Usagi stood up and snapped her fingers at Jack signaling him to follow her. Jack happily walked behind Usagi and jumped into Sidney's car when Usagi opened the back door. Usagi entered the passenger side closing the door firmly as he sat down.

Sidney looked at Jack in the back seat via her rearview mirror and shook her head. "We don't let boys into our gang, but I think for Jack we can make an exception. Plus, he's got quite a fan following in the gang."

Usagi turned to Jack sitting in the backseat with a smile said, "Hear that Jack, you've been made the Tokyo Slayers official mascot."

Jack yawned clearly unimpressed by his new title.

Sidney watched Jack's response from the rear view mirror and couldn't help laughing out loud. "Nice. An apathetic dog. He just might be the perfect mascot."

Usagi shrugged as she turned around again. "He's hard to impress."

"I can see that." Sidney said a she began to relax in Usagi's company. "I like your outfit, what's was your inspiration?"

Usagi blushed as she looked down at her outfit. "Buffy the Vampire Slayer." Usagi said sheepishly. "She was a badass vampire slayer with a killer sense of style. I guess that's what I was going for with this outfit."

"Buffy is a big inspiration for many in our group. How could she not be?" Sidney turned down the street that was near the hangout Usagi was taken yesterday. Parking the car Sidney stepped out and waited for Usagi and Jack to follow.

Once in the alleyway Sidney and Usagi waited for a lull in the pedestrian traffic to enter the hideout unnoticed. Inside three women sat on the couch reading magazine and enjoying each other's company.

Sidney extended her hand to the first woman. " I'm sure you remember Riley from your initiation fight. She will be part of our patrol team"

Riley nodded at Usagi and Usagi smiled back.

"Hana and Janice will also be joining us tonight." Sidney said while pointing to the two remaining women. "I know you may not recognize them, but they took you home the night of your initiation."

Usagi waved at the two women with no recollection who they were.

Sidney turned on the TV showing a map of the Tokyo Slayer territory with their current hide out highlighted "This will be your team from now on and this hideout your base. Each member in the gang is assigned to a six-person group and a patrol area within our territory. You will patrol three nights a week and attend a biweekly meeting."

Sidney walked over to a safe in the corner of the room and unlocked it with the combination. From the safe she retrieved what looked like a stick. On closer inspection it was actually the hilt of a sword, but it lacked the blade. "This will be your main weapon while on patrol." Sidney said as she held up the hilt. "It has been hand crafted to be yours and yours alone."

Usagi looked with confusion at the hilt that had no blade. Usagi was about to say something when Sidney held up her hand.

"I know you're confused, but Riley will show you how to use it along with the other weapons we possess. " Sidney handed over the hilt to Riley.

Riley took the hilt and motioned for Usagi to follow her to the other side of the room. Once on the other side of the room Riley showed Usagi the hilt. "As you can see we have designed the hilt so you will always know it's yours. On one side is a silhouette of a rabbit."

Usagi examined the hilt and one side was a red silhouette of a rabbit running. The rabbit carving was depressed into the hilt.

Riley flipped the hilt over revealing all the gems she retrieved in her initiation process. The heart and stake shaped stone were located in the middle of the hilt with stones made in the shape of the letters T and S located the top and bottom. "On this side are the gems you earned in the initiation process."

Riley stepped back from Usagi and held the hilt with one hand in front of her. "Now I'm sure you are looking at this wondering what kind of weapon it is."

That's exactly what Usagi was thinking. She was not sure how a sword hilt could kill a vampire.

"But this is an actual sword." Riley began. "We can't walk around the city with a sword on our hip. We would be arrested in two seconds. So we devised a way to hide the blade. All you have to do is hit this button to release the blade." Riley pointed with her other hand to the button located on the anterior portion of the hilt. Riley stuck the hilt out to her side with her right hand and hit the button. A blade seemed to appear from nowhere with little noise from the place it was released from.

Usagi looked at the blade of the sword and she wondered how the long blade could fit in the hilt. "How does that blade fit inside?"

Riley looked and the blade and shrugged. "Sidney and her blacksmith designed the sword. They are the only ones who know the mechanics of the sword." Riley turned to a manikin located in the corner of the room. The manikin was made of tightly bound bamboo straw. " Now I want you to practice cutting with your sword. Use smooth slashing motions flicking your wrist at the last moment." Riley demonstrated the technique and with one swift slash cut a portion of the manikins arm off.

Rile retracted the blade and handed the hilt over to Usagi. Taking the hilt gingerly Usagi walked over to the manikin. She held the hilt to her right side and hit the button. Usagi jumped as she felt the blade being released.

"Good." Riley said with encouragement as she pointed towards the manikin. "Now try to cut one of the arms off."

Usagi turned to the manikin and positioned herself a few steps away. Tightening her grip on the sword with two hands Usagi raised the sword above her head and brought it down quickly on the arm of the manikin. The sword made it half way through arm before getting stuck. Usagi looked on with frustration as she attempted to remove the blade from the manikin.

Riley suppressed a laugh as she gently pushed Usagi aside and dislodged the blade from the manikin. "Don't worry. Nobody cuts the arm off on the first try." Riley handed Usagi the sword back and then stood behind her. Wrapping her arms around Usagi and taking a hold of her wrist she guide Usagi through the proper movements. "Make sure you follow through otherwise you will not have enough strength to cause damage." Riley released Usagi and put some distance between them. "Ok. Just practice the movements before you try them on the manikin."

Usagi made sure she was in the proper stance before she practiced her slashing techniques. Her first two strokes were slow focusing more on technique than strength or speed. After a few minutes of slow deliberate strokes Usagi picked up the speed and added strength to her strokes. The sword hissed through the air giving the weapon a malevolent feel in Usagi's hand.

Riley smiled with approval at the speed in which Usagi had picked up the basic skills required for sword fighting. "Excellent. Now try to decapitate the manikin." Riley said as her lips curled upwards into a sinister grin.

Usagi stood before the manikin and then with all of her might she aimed the blade at the manikin and slashed through the neck. The head of the manikin fell to the floor making a hollow thud as hit the concrete floor. The sound of the head made as it hit the floor caused Usagi to pause in reflection. If this had been a real person they would be dead. This disturbing fact brought on a wave of nausea in Usagi.

She was not naive to the realities of battle. She had seen the violence and the emotional repercussions it could bring. This was different than her other battles. It would be up close and personal. It would likely be more violent than any of the battles in her past.

Usagi must have been staring at the head of the manikin for quite some time because she had not noticed that Riley was at her side. When Riley placed a hand on Usagi's shoulder Usagi jumped back into the present.

"It gets easier." Riley said with true sympathy in her eyes. Riley seemed to know the cause of Usagi silent reflection.

Usagi wasn't sure she wanted it to get easier. Killing someone, even evil, should never be easy.

Mabel entered the hotel suite with her sullen companions close on her heels. The flight to Sapporo had been exactly the way Mabel had predicted it, full of awkward silence. Sebastian and Arabella were not speaking to each other at the moment. Usually Mabel played the treaty maker when their arguments resulted in silent stand offs, but not this time. She was tired of being in the middle of their fight especially when it had to due with Usagi.

Mabel dropped her bag on the bed before walking into the bathroom and locking the door. Turning on the facet she washed the grime off her face she was convinced accumulated during travel. Outside Mabel could hear Sebastian and Arabella putting their things away in the drawers using more force than necessary to accomplish the task. Mabel shook her head as she dried her face with the towel. Her lover and friend could be remarkably childish.

As Mabel exited the bathroom a knock came from the front door. Mabel opened the door to see Cato in front of her. Cato was Japanese by origin, but his features appeared to be of mixed descent giving him an ambiguous mystique. While his smile was warm and inviting, it was his eyes that made people truly feel safe.

"Cato!" Mabel threw her arms around him and hugged him tightly.

Cato smiled as he gleefully return Mabel's hug. "I'm happy to see you too." Cato released Mabel and looked towards Sebastian and Arabella who greeted him constricted expressions of acknowledgement. Confused Cato returned his gazed to Mabel, "I'm guess they don't travel well." Cato said with a smirk as he nodded towards Sebastian and Arabella.

Mabel appreciated Cato's attempt to lighten the mood even if it was futile. "It's a long story. Just ignore them." Mabel could feel Sebastian giving her a dirty look, but she didn't acknowledged it "When are we leaving to interrogate the vampire you caught?"

"That will not be tonight." Cato responded. "Shogun Takako heard that you would be arriving tonight and invites you to her house for a proper welcome."

Sebastian suppressed his irritation at the change in plans. "That will not be necessary. We are here for one purpose and that is to help in your interrogation."

"So you're defying Shogun orders now. All so you can back to that girl faster?" Arabella said with venom in her voice.

"Silence." Sebastian said with real anger as he clenched his fist in an attempt to control himself.

Cato twitched uncomfortably before addressing his guest. " I would go if I were you Sebastian. Shogun Takako hates to be disappointed and you do not want to disappoint her."

Embarrassed by Sebastian and Arabella's public fight Mabel took control of the situation. "Of course we will accept Shogun Takako invitation. Please allow us time to get ready."

"Sure. I will return in forty minutes to pick you guys up." Cato said as he left his guest to prepare for the evening.

Once Cato left Mabel turned to her companions. "That's enough you two. I'm tired of this bullshit. If you can't solve your differences now at least you can do is remain professional in front of others. We have a job to do and I will not be playing referee this entire trip."

Sebastian and Arabella remained silent refusing to look at each other. Watching their reactions made Mabel even more frustrated than she already was with her friends, but there was nothing left to say. Grabbing her bag Mabel prepared to meet with Shogun Takako.

At the Hikawa Shrine Rei kneeled in silence in front of the ceremonial fire. With her index pressed tightly together and pointed to the ceiling she chanted quietly into the fire. She had been mediating for hours and had yet to get the results that she desired. Rei was exhausted having received very little sleep over the last week. The nightmares had become a nightly occurrence preventing any chance of uninterrupted sleep. The nightmare was the same every night. Usagi was running from an evil force, but that evil entity was never revealed in the dream. The only thing she could get out of the dream was that her friend was terrified.

The light of the fire highlighted Rei's determined face in the darkness of the room. Her eyebrows were furrowed in intense concentration with perspiration running down her temples. She was desperate to find what evil was after her friend and the fire was her only chance to get a glimpse at the enemy.

"Rin, Pyō, Tō, Sha, Kai, Jin, Retsu, Zai, Zen." Rei chanted each word of the Taoist Mantra loudly with the proper hand postures for each word. At the end of the chant the fire responded with a release of energy. Inside the fire Rei could see the face of Usagi fixed in terror with a hand reaching for her.

Rei let out a yell of frustration, as hours of mediation had proved fruitless. No matter how much she chanted the same imaged appeared in the ceremonial fire. Rising from her kneeling position Rei decided to call it a night with the mediation. Rei knew something was going on with Usagi and she knew the only way to get answers was to interrogate Usagi. For the past few weeks Usagi had been distant from the group and this caused Rei to wonder what she was getting herself into without her friends there to protect her. Something was going on with Usagi and tomorrow she was going to find out what Usagi was hiding from her.

For the last hour Riley had been teaching Usagi how to fight with a sword. Usagi was skilled at defecting oncoming attacks, but her offensive attacks definitely need some work.

"You're doing very well. I think you've been in more fights than you are willing to admit to Usagi." Riley said as she thrust her sword at Usagi abdomen.

Usagi parried Riley's attack as she smiled at Riley's comment. She had saved the world from outside invaders multiple times over the past two years and even died once. So yeah she was skilled at fighting and I guess there was no way to hide that. "I've been in a few school yard fight." Usagi said with a chuckle.

"Don't take offense to this statement, but you don't look like a fighter." Riley let her sword fall to her side as she placed her hand on her hip.

Usagi curled her lips into a smirk as she locked her eyes with Riley's. "I beat you in a fight so I guess I have some skills."

"Don't get too cocky Usagi. I think that was more luck than skill." Riley warned Usagi. She punctuated her point by thrusting her sword into the chest of the manikin.

Usagi retracted her blade before looking at the manikin and then back at Riley. "I'm thankful you're on my side in this battle." Usagi said with a nervous laugh.

"I think we have a good group of fighters this time around." Riley said as she pulled out the sword from the manikin's chest and retracted her blade. "Sidney and I use to patrol together with three other people for close to two years. We were a team in every sense of the word. Everyone and their own strengths and weakness, yet everyone in the group pulled their weight. Unfortunately, two members of our team moved away and of course you know about the death of Ruri."

Usagi nodded at the mention of Ruri. The vampire she and Sebastian were looking for had killed her. "When did the others join the team?"

"Hana and Janice joined our team five months ago. Keiko is also on our team, but she may have trouble sneaking out of her house tonight." Riley walked over to a long wood table that had various weapons displayed on them. "Poor Keiko has been having parental difficulties this past week. Her parents have caught on to her extracurricular activities."

Usagi joined Riley at the table and looked on at the various weapons before her. The table was covered with various knives, stakes, a bow and arrow, and to Usagi's surprise guns. "I'm lucky my parents are out of the country this summer or I might be in the same position as Keiko." Usagi said as she picked up a gun. "How is this supposed to kill a vampire?"

Riley took the gun from Usagi and walked over to the manikin. "This is no ordinary gun. See how long the barrel is?" Riley raised the gun for Usagi to see. The gun itself looked like a semi automatic gun with a longer and wider barrel. "It shoots wooden bullets." Riley pointed the gun at the manikin and pulled the trigger. There was a quite pop and then a wooden bullet sticking out of the manikin's chest.

Usagi looked at Riley in a combination of shock, fear, and admiration. "Why not make the gun our preferred weapon? It looks like it would be more effective than a sword."

Riley dropped the gun to her side and returned to the table. "Yes it would, but it is very user dependent and you have to be at just the right distance and aim at just the right spot to kill a vampire with this weapon. It's our backup weapon if we loose our sword."

"We're going to be leaving soon so let's get you ready for your first night out. Roll up your right pant leg." Riley said as she grabbed a gun holster from the table.

Usagi obeyed and rolled up her right pant leg exposing everything from the knee down. Riley knelt down and carefully wrapped the gun holster around Usagi's calf making sure to secure it tightly so Usagi could move without fear of dislodging the gun holster. Usagi watched as Riley placed one of the guns into the holster.

"Walk around and get use to the feel of the gun strapped to your leg." Riley said nonchalantly as she returned to the table.

Usagi first walked awkwardly around the room before she gradually got use to the added weight the gun provided. Once she felt comfortable enough she rolled her pant leg back down and returned to the table next to Riley.

"This will be your stake." Riley said as she handed Usagi a hand carved stake approximately 12 1/2 inches long. The stake was in a leather sheath with a whole on the bottom and a belt clip on the back.

"Thanks." Usagi said as she clipped the stake in the leather sheath to her belt on the left side of her body. Looking to her left she saw Sidney, Janice, and Hana taking weapons from the table and strapping it to their persons.

Riley then handed Usagi a small knife in a sheath that again had a belt clip on the back. Usagi clipped the knife to her right side. Finally, Riley handed Usagi a square metal piece with belt clip built into one side. Usagi looked at the piece of metal with confusion.

"It's a magnet." Riley said as she demonstrated to Usagi how to use the magnet. She clipped the metal piece to her belt and then took her sword and placed it next to the magnet. With a loud click the sword hilt secured safely to Riley's left hip.

Usagi mimicked Riley and used the magnet to secure her sword handle to her left hip.

Sidney smiled at her new recruit with approval as she addressed her team. "Excellent. I think we are ready to begin our patrol. We will..."

The door opening interrupted Sidney and the group turned their attention to the front of the room. Keiko quickly walked in and shut the door behind her has quietly as she could.

"Sorry I'm late." Keiko said as she walked quickly to the table. "It took me forever to sneak out of my house without my parents noticing." Keiko didn't make eye contact with anyone in the group and began to pick up her weapons.

"That's ok. We all know you have been having parental trouble recently." Sidney said as she patted Keiko on with back and gave her an empathetic smile. Turing her attention back to the group Sidney continued with her instructions for the evening. "Tonight we will be patrolling the Kabukicho district. There has been a lot of vampire activity there in the past week."

The Kabukicho district was the largest and well-known red light district in the Shinuku ward. With over 3 thousands bars, clubs, hotels, hostess bars, and massage parlors the streets of Kabukicho were constantly crowed. Usagi herself had never been to the area because it was know for its connection with the Yakuza crime family. Usagi had been forbidden to visit the area by her family given the Kabukicho's shady reputation. Usagi had always been curious about the area, but never had the guts to disobey her parents.

Sidney began to walk to the door as the rest of the girls followed her. "We'll take the subway to the main entrance and start our patrol there." Sidney said as she opened the front door.

"Come on Jack, we're leaving." Usagi yelled over her shoulder to Jack who was sleeping on the couch. Jack lifted his head and perked his ears to attention at the sound of his name.

Usagi had made it to the door when she realized Jack was not behind her. "Jack, you better hurry up. You don't want to get left behind, right?" Usagi said as she smiled at Jack,

Jack jumped from the couch and ran up to Usagi. Jumping up on his hind legs Jack placed his paws on Usagi shoulders before licking her face.

Usagi gave a boisterous laugh and hugged Jack tightly. "I was just joking Jack. I would never leave you behind." Usagi took Jack's paws off her shoulder and let Jack down gently. "Let's go." Usagi said as she walked through the door with Jack trailing her.

Cato, Mabel, Sebastian, and Arabella stood outside Shogun Takako residence as they waited for their hostess to answer the door. While tension between Sebastian and Arabella had subsided they still were far from talking to each other. Mabel was thankful that her companions were attempting to remain cordial to each other in public.

Cato gave Mabel a sympathetic smile as if he understood what was making her so anxious. Her family may be at each other's throats, but when Cato was around it didn't seem to matter. His friendly and warm disposition had a way of distracting you from the headaches in your life.

Sebastian focused on the floor before him in attempt to avoid making eye contact with Arabella. Fights between him and Arabella were not uncommon, but they had never been this heated before. Usally they would say what they neded to say and within in an hour they were back to normal. This fight was different than the others causing a great amount of ditress to Sebastian.

Arabella and Sebastian had bonded the moment they met each other. Both were reclusive and sullen in their demenor, which forced them to rely solely on each other. No matter what situation arised Arabella was always at his side and in his corner. How could things have gotten so bad?

Mabel had brought much needed life and humor to both Sebastian and Arabella's life. She was always pushing for them to be social and step out of their comfort zones in order to experience the world. Unlike Sebastian and Arabella, Mabel did not see her vampire existence as curse. She saw being a vampire as just another means of existence devoid of any labels of morality. In her mind vampires were neither good nor evil in their essence, but chose their moral path by the decisions they made everyday. Atfer nearly sevetny years with Mabel in their lives both Sebastian and Arabella had become more open to both the vampire world and the human world

The front door opened interrupting the group from their personal thoughts. As the door opened it revealed a young man in his early twenties dressed in only snuggly fitting black briefs. The young man's hair was shaggy yet at the same time neatly groomed. Old bite marks were clearly visible on the man's neck and wrist.

"Welcome, Madame Takako has been expecting you. Follow me please." The young man said without making eye contact with anyone in the group.

Silently the group was led to the main living area of Shogun Takako penthouse. The main floor to the penthouse was one large room with only furniture and appliances distinguishing the segregated area. Two of the walls in the penthouse were actually ceiling to floor windows that overlooked downtown Sapporo.

Shogun Takako sat in a leather armchair that was located in the den section of the apartment. To her right stood another young man that was dressed similar to the man that answered the door. Sitting on the left arm of the chair was a young woman dressed in baby doll style lingerie. The woman's sexy outfit was accented with black stilettos that had black leather straps that crossed around each other stopping just below the calf.

"Madame Takako, your guests have arrived." The man who answered the door said as he bowed at Takako.

Takako attention had been focused on the woman sitting next to her. Turning to her newly arrived guest she gave a sly smile. "Thank you Jan. Please everyone sit." Takako waved her hands at the couch across from her.

Sebastian and Arabella sat down at opposite ends of the couch as Mabel sat down between them. Cato walked over to Takako kneeling before her and kissed the back of her hand. The intimate gesture of allegiance caused Takako to smile coyly at Cato.

Cato returned the coy smile with a mischievous one as he stood from his kneeled position. "My maker still causes my heart to flutter at the very sight of her."

"Such a hopeless flirt you are Cato. I need to watch you when you are near my slaves." Takako said as she stroked the inner thigh of the slave girl sitting next to her.

Arabella watched the interaction before her with increasing annoyance. The whole fake maker progeny love affair was cliché and made her want to vomit. Arabella loved Mabel and would never play up the maker progeny power imbalance for the thrill of others. Mabel may be her progeny, but she was in her mind her equal.

Sebastian had similar distain for the show that was being put on before him. He hated the maker progeny hierarchy that was built into vampire society. He hated his maker for taking his life and forcing him to become a vampire. Yet, if his maker were to arrive at this moment he would be bound to pay similar respect. Even though his maker had released him many years ago he was forever be bound to her.

Cato walked over to a chair next to the couch and sat down.

"How was your trip?" Takako asked her guests that were sitting across from her.

"The flight was nice and short." Mabel responded politely.

"Good. I know you're here on business, but Cato and I thought a welcome soiree was appropriate for friends we haven't seen in years." Takako said as she dismissed both her slaves that stood next to her.

Mabel waited for her companions to respond, but after a few seconds of silence she realized she would be the one making the small talk at this gathering. "And we thank you for the thoughtful gesture."

Cato watched with amusement as Mabel tried to keep things civil between her group and Takako. "Our friends are anxious to interrogate our prisoner. They're all business minded." Cato said to Takako as he winked at Mabel.

Mabel gave Cato a look of annoyance at his teasing statement. Cato responded to Mabel's dirty look with a sheepish grin.

Takako smiled at Cato and Mabel's non -verbal exchange in front of her. "You have plenty of time tomorrow for business. Let's us begin with dinner shall we?" Takako clapped her hands together signaling a group of young people to enter the room.

The group walked in single file and stood where everyone could see them. This group was dressed differently from Takako 's slaves. The men of the group wore white pants with a matching white dress shirt. The women were dressed in simple white form fitting sundresses. The sight of the young men and women reminded Sebastian of his first communion when he was a teenager. They looked so innocent and pure like lambs to the slaughter.

"Sebastian, given that you are the leader of your nest you get the first choice." Takako said as she relaxed into her chair.

Sebastian looked at the group in front of him and then back to Takako. "I thank you Shogun Takako for your hospitality, but I have eaten before we arrived." Sebastian said in a diplomatic tone.

Takako looked into Sebastian's eyes trying to decipher his motives for refusing her gracious offer. "All of the people in front of you have chosen to be here by their own free will. They have not been coerced in any way. With that said would you still refuse my offer?"

Sebastian could hear the subtle warning in Takako's voice. If he refused again the consequences would be severe. Next to Sebastian Mabel shifted uncomfortably at the growing tension between the two.

"I would not." Sebastian said as he bowed his head to Takako and he could feel Mabel relax next him. Sebastian turned his attention back to the young men and women standing in white before him. Scanning up and down the line one young man in particular caught his eye. He appeared to be in his late teens had average body size with striking grey eyes. Sebastian wasn't sure what it was exactly, but the boy reminded him of his younger self. Even though the boy was nervous standing before a group of vampires there was a recklessness and rebelliousness that radiated from him.

"I will take this young man." Sebastian said as he pointed to the young man he had been evaluating.

"Excellent." Takako said with satisfaction in her voice. "You may use one of the rooms upstairs."

Sebastian stood up and walked towards a spiral stairway at the other end of the room. He made brief eye contact with the young man he chose signaling him to follow. As Sebastian passed the young man began to follow with his eye downcast and fixed on the floor in front of him.

Usagi stood before the archway at the entrance of Kabukicho district. Scanning ahead her senses were overwhelmed by the lights and amount of people ahead of her. Having grown up in Tokyo she was use to city lights and overcrowd conditions, but some how this seemed different. This area wasn't full of people in suits or mothers with their children. It had a younger edgier feel and Usagi had to admit she was looking forward to exploring this part of town.

"I'm guessing you have never been to this part of the city before." Sidney said as she walked up next to Usagi.

"No, I haven't" Usagi responded not taking her eyes off the streets in front of her. Jack sat next to Usagi waiting for her to make the first move.

"Well, prepare for one hell of night" Sidney said as she took a swig of something from a black leather flask.

Usagi felt Sidney thump her chest with something causing her to look down. In front of her chest was an open black leather flask. Sidney shook the flask in front of Usagi signaling her to take a shot.

"What is it?" Usagi asked as she hesitantly took the flask.

"Whiskey." She responded nonchalantly as she gauged Usagi reaction.

Usagi shifted uncomfortably under Sidney's gaze. Usagi had never really drank alcohol until recently and to be honest she didn't care for it. Drinking with Mabel while fun at the time gave her a hangover to remember. She had vowed not to drink again for a while only to be coerced by Sidney into another drunken night.

Now Sidney was again trying to force her will on Usagi. Mabel had encouraged Usagi to drink because she wanted Usagi to have fun, while Sidney wanted complete obedience from her. Usagi had little recourse because she was here for one purpose and that was to gather information. Taking a deep breath Usagi open the back of her throat and turn the flask upside down and then back again with one sudden jerk.

The liquor felt like fire going down the back of Usagi throat causing her to cough and gag at the same time. A violent shiver traveled through her body as the whiskey settled in her stomach. Jack whined in sympathy nudging Usagi's leg with his nose. "I'm ok Jack." Usagi said in a hoarse voice to the Akita sitting next to her.

Sidney's lips curled upwards to one side expressing her satisfaction with her new recruits compliance with orders. "Now pass it along."

Usagi handed the flask over to Keiko as she tried to recover from the vile liquid she just ingested.

Keiko wasted no time and took a shot of the whiskey before handing the flask over to Riley. Each one of the members took a shot before the flask was returned to Sidney.

"Ok. Riley and I will take lead while Keiko and Janice bring up the rear." Sidney said as she closed the flask and placed it into a pocket on the inside of her coat. "Usagi you will be in the middle with Hana." Sidney walked through the arch with Riley closely by her side. Usagi took her cue from Hana and followed her through the archway with Jack close to her side.

Usagi absorbed her new surroundings taking in the new sights and sounds. To her right was a large billboard filled with headshots of 'pretty boys" associate with the establishment just bellow it. This establishment was a bar that specialized in providing male drinking companions to anyone who could pay for their attention. This type of bar was popular in Tokyo to business men and women. Each bar had either male or female entertainers and their own unique atmosphere. Usagi smiled as she remembered Minako trying to convince the group to going to one of these bars. Her impassioned pleas were quickly dismissed by Ami who pointed out that they were not old enough to go to bars. Ami's immediate rejection of her idea caused Minako to fall over in exasperation.

"Care to join me for a drink miss?" The musical voice of a young man said capturing Usagi's attention.

Usagi turned to the direction of the voice only to be silence by the beautiful man in front of her. With perfect hair, white teeth, and a tailored suit the man looked like an idol. Usagi continued to stare at the man in awe. Jack began to growl at the unwanted attention this man was giving Usagi.

"Sorry, she's busy tonight. Plus I think Jack is jealous." Hana said as she pushed Usagi forward and away from the charismatic man.

Usagi regained her senses and gave a thankful smile to Hana. "Thanks."

"No problem. You have to be careful with those guys. They are masters of seduction. One moment you are having fun drinking and enjoying their company and the next thing you know you're thousands of yens poorer." Hana explained with a knowing wink.

Usagi laughed before changing the subject. "How long have you been in the gang?"

"Six months. Janice and I use to do patrols with another group, before we joined this one." said as she placed her hands into her pockets.

"Why did you have to change groups?" Usagi asked, as she was generally curious of the inner workings of the gang.

Hana shrugged at Usagi. " I dunno. Sidney's original patrol group lost a few members and she needed replacements. I'm not sure why she chose Janice, Keiko, and I to join her patrol. Each one of us has only been in the gang a little over a month when we join this patrol group and that's not a lot of experience. Riley is the only veteran in the group. She been in the gang for three years."

Usagi watched Riley and Sidney in front of her both seemed very comfortable in each other's presence. There was an obvious strong bond between the two women and Usagi had no doubt that bond had been built by fighting along side one another.

"What happened to the people in Sidney's old patrol group?" Usagi whispered to Hana doing her best not to attract Sidney's attention.

Hana looked forward to make sure Sidney was lost in conversation with Riley before answering Usagi's question. "Well, two of her members moved to the States and one person just disappeared. They believe she just wanted out of the gang and left the city. Although, no one knows for sure what happened to her. And finally, there was the death of Ruri. Sidney and Ruri co-founded the gang six years ago and her death was a devastating blow to Sidney."

Usagi remembered that Riley had stated that two people had moved away, but she did not mention that there was a member who disappeared. Usagi wondered if she was also a victim the same vampire. "Does she know who killed Ruri?" Usagi asked being unable to hide her intrigue.

Hana shook her head. "The death of Ruri is still a mystery. She went to the Velvet Underground meet a vampire and never made it back alive. She was killed in the parking lot. Ruri had kept that mission a secret even to Sidney so the investigation has stalled."

Usagi nodded knowingly at how difficult it was to find the vampire killer. Her and Sebastian were having a difficult time getting leads on who had killed Ruri and Aiko. Usagi found it ironic that she had joined the Tokyo Slayers in order to get important information on the killer, but it seemed that they were just as clueless she and Sebastian were when it came to this killer. This investigation was pushing Usagi to her limits and yet she couldn't walk away. Something was drawing her to this world and to Sebastian.

Sebastian sat in an armchair located in the corner of the guest room he had brought the young man to. He sat in a relax position in the chair with his legs crossed and right elbow popped on the arm of the chair. Sebastian rested his chin on his right hand giving him a pensive looking appearance.

The young man sat on the bed before Sebastian shifting uncomfortably under his gaze. "Aren't you supposed to feed off me or something?" The young man said with a mixture of anxiety and resentment in his voice.

Sebastian paused before engaging the young man. He knew he had to approach him just right if he wanted counsel the young man. "What's your name?"

"Kenji." The young man said as he looked directly into Sebastian's questioning eyes.

"Why are you here Kenji?" Sebastian asked his voice soft yet firm.

Kenji looked at Sebastian with an expression of confusion on his face. "What do you mean?"

"There are various type of people that enter the vampire world." Sebastian began his explanation as he stood from his chair. " Some people want relationships with vampires, some are addicted to V, and others merely want a novelty of partying with vampires. Finally, there are those who want to become a vampire. I sense that you are the latter type of person. Am I correct?" Sebastian had moved directly in front of Kenji and his imposing presence added weight to his inquiry.

Kenji looked up at Sebastian afraid to confirm Sebastian's correct assumption of his motives.

Sebastian looked down at Kenji with pity. "Whatever you are running from in this life will not be solved by next one you seek."

Kenji face contorted in anger at Sebastian presumption of his emotional state. "Save your lecture for someone who cares. How dare you assume that you know why I am here and what I feel. If I want to be a vampire it is my own damn business."

Sebastian took no offense to Kenji sudden outburst of anger. He had obviously hit nerve in the boy confirming his belief that he was running from a difficult present life. " You're correct. It's not any of my business what choices you make in your life, but from my experience I would like to warn you. You believe the vampire world will give you the power and freedom you lack in this life, but that is a false notion. Being a vampire is just different prison than the one you are in now."

"Thanks for the advice." Kenji responded sarcastically.

Sebastian narrowed his eyes at the young man. So young, reckless, and stupid this man was. Sebastian lunged forward grabbing the young man by the throat and pushed him down on the bed. Sebastian used his superior strength to hold Kenji in place as he positioned himself on top. Looking into Kenji eyes he saw for the first time fear.

"Stupid boy." Sebastian hissed into the boy's ear. "The decision you are making has consequences beyond your comprehension."

A tear rolled down Kenji's cheek as he responded in a low yet defiant tone, "Then make my decision for me by glamorizing me. I know that's within your power."

"No." Sebastian responded simply. "I will never make a decision for another person. If you want to throw your life away and be a demon of the night then that is your choice. And no one has the right to take away that choice."

Sebastian leaned closer into Kenji moving the hand on his throat closer to Kenji's jaw. Tilting Kenji head to the side exposing his neck Sebastian whispered into Kenji's ear. "Now I am going to feed off of you not because I desire to do so, but because I am a slave to my vampire superior."

With that declaration Sebastian plunged his fangs into Kenji's neck and began to feed. The sudden pain jolted Kenji into a fight response, but he was held in place by Sebastian's body weight. Kenji let out a scream from deep within his throat. The scream caused guilt to stir within Sebastian, but he had no choice. Takako had commanded him to feed and that what he was going to do. Sebastian quickly took his hand that was on Kenji throat and covered his mouth muffling his scream.

Usagi's first patrol was nearing the end and it appeared it would be an uneventful night. They had spent a small portion of their patrol on busiest streets of the red light district. The rest of their patrol was spent navigating the dimly lit back streets of this popular area. This strategy made sense to Usagi since most vampires attack their victim in places with no witness.

As the group walked down a particularly narrow street a store window caught Usagi's eyes. Painted on the front was a giant pyramid with an eye in the center. Sunlight rays projected from the center of the eye in various directions. The metal mesh gate that was located behind the window obscured Usagi's view of what was inside the store.

"That's miss Lyanka store. It's a magic store." Hana said in attempt to answer Usagi's question she had not yet voiced.

"Like top hats and rabbits?" Usagi asked clearly missing Hana explanation.

Hana chuckled at Usagi response. "No. The magical arts like witches and wizards. They have all kinds of stuff dealing with the mystical word. They even have stuff we can use to fight vampires."

"Like what?" Usagi asked as she looked inside cupping her hands on the side of her face in an attempt to get a better view.

"Well, they have this spray that can block your human scent from a vampire. I've tried it before and I swear it works." Hana held up her hand as if she was swearing in court to add credibility to her claim.

Usagi pulled away from the mirror and looked back at Hana. "I'll have to check it out sometime."

Hana was about to say something to Usagi when she was stopped by Janice putting a hand on her shoulder. "We may have some vampires up head." Janice whispered as she pointed towards Riley and Sidney.

As Usagi looked down the alleyway she saw Sidney place a finger over lips followed by a wave of her hand to signal them to come closer. Walking quietly and slowly with Jack and the rest of the group close behind her she reached Sidney and Riley at the corner of one building. Sidney touched her sword hilt and then pointed in the direction around the corner. Everyone in the group nodded and Usagi knew a battle was likely around this corner.

Sidney and Riley again took the lead as they turned the corner to a dead end alleyway. At the end of the corner were six people that Usagi assumed were vampires. There were four males and two girls in the group and each one was crouched down in a circular pattern. One of the vampires threw some dices on the ground and the group let out boisterous yells as the dice stop rolling.

"I told you boy and girls that I'm the best at this game." The vampire who threw the dice said as he collected money from everyone in the circle.

At that point one of the female vampires noticed the presence the Tokyo Slayers at the end of the alleyway. "I was getting hungry, but I didn't know we ordered delivery." She said with a sinister smile.

The group of vampires stood up at the same time and slowly positioned themselves in a v formation.

"You can feed off us only if you can beat us in a fight first." Sidney challenged them with an unwavering confidence in her voice.

"You're a feisty one." A male vampire said as he drew closer. "I think I will hold you to that bet."

The male vampire sprinted forward in a blur running towards Sidney. Sidney moved to the side in just enough time to miss the vampire first attack. "One on one" Sidney yelled causing the other members to spring into action.

"The guy on the left is yours Usagi." Hana yelled as she raced to one of the female vampires.

"Jack stay!" Usagi yelled as she sprinted towards her target. Jack whined a bit, but followed Usagi's command and remained seated. As Usagi ran passed Sidney she saw Sidney block a punch from her opponent in her peripheral vision. Usagi made it to her target as the vampire threw a left hook at Usagi's face. She was able block the first punch and then the right hook the vampire threw next. The two consecutive blocks left Usagi open for moment and before she could put her guard back up she felt the foot of her opponent on her abdomen. The force of the kick sent Usagi flying backward into a door within the alleyway. The door was not made to sustain the force that had just been applied and it easily gave way causing Usagi to fall into the room directly behind it.

Usagi landed on the floor with a loud thud knocking the air from her lungs. Usagi regained her senses as she saw the vampire barreling in on her ready to pounce. Once the vampire was directly over her she lifted her leg and hips and thrust them outwards. Usagi's feet connected with the vampire's chest sending him flying backwards.

In an instant Usagi was on her feet surveying her surroundings. She was definitely in a kitchen as there was a center table with various cooking utensil hanging from scaffolding above. In the back corner was the fridge and on each side was an oven. Usagi looked at the various knives hanging above the table and thought how bad this fight good go if she didn't end it soon.

The sound of the vampire getting up focused Usagi attention back on the fight. Without thinking Usagi grabbed a ladle from above the table and threw it at the vampire. The ladle hit the vampire square in the forehead causing more confusion than harm. Usagi stepped back crashing into the stove behind her. Usagi had no way to avoid the vampire approaching her and she was scrabbling to think of her next move. Her hand brushed against the handle of a large frying pan giving Usagi an idea. She grabbed the handle with both hands and as soon as the vampire was within range she brought it down on his head in sweeping motion. The vampire collapsed to the ground holding his head in agony as Usagi hopped over his crouched form.

Usagi discarded the heavy frying pan and stood up victoriously with her hands on her hips. Had she been in her Sailor Moon uniform she would have made a lengthy speech about good and evil to her injured opponent, but she knew she didn't have the time for that.

Jack appeared in the doorway taking Usagi by surprise by running straight for the vampire crouched down next to the stove.

"Jack no!" Usagi yelled at the Akita but it was too late. Jack jumped on the vampire biting him on the arm. The vampire yelled in frustration and stood up lifting the Akita by his iron locked jaw. The vampire grabbed Jack by his neck, ripped the dog off his arm, and threw him over the center counter.

At that moment Usagi realized something very important that she had forgotten. She had weapons on her body. Usagi cursed herself for not realizing it sooner. Here she was improvising with kitchenware when she had vampire-killing weapons around her waist. Usagi reached for the sword of her hip dislodging it from the magnet.

As Usagi began to turn around she noticed that the vampire was once again charging at her. By the time Usagi had fully turned around the vampire had reached her gripping her shoulders with his hands and pushing up against the nearest wall. She had known that she would not have enough time to evade the attack and she made sure to position the hilt of the sword squarely on the chest of the vampire.

"You're dead little girl." The vampire said with pure hatred in his voice.

"I don't thinks so." Usagi responded at she hit the button on the hilt of her sword releasing the blade from inside.

The blade sliced through the vampire's chest and went out its back with wet grinding sound. The vampire looked at Usagi with utter shock and then pain as he let go of Usagi's shoulders. Time slowed as she waited for the vampire to die in front of her. The vampire let out one final cry as his body began to contract. The body exploded causing blood and sinew to go flying in every direction. Usagi could feel the blood spray her face making her eyes shut involuntarily. Next was the sound of blood soaked skin and entrails of the vampire hitting the floor with a wet thud.

Usagi wiped the blood from her face and looked down at what was left of the vampire. She had killed many yomas before, but this was by far the most grotesque killing she had ever witnessed. There was so much blood and she was sure she was covered in it.

"Jack?" She called out to her fury bodyguard. Jack appeared from behind the table and limped towards Usagi direction. Usagi knelt down and gave him a big hug before scolding the dog. "I said stay." Usagi said as she wagged her finger at the dog, which was returned with a whine from Jack.

A slow clap echoed through the kitchen as Sidney stood in the doorway with a proud smile on her face. "Congratulations on your first kill. I think you might be the first recruit to kill a vampire on their first patrol. I knew I saw something special in you."

"Thanks." Usagi said wirily as she stood up. "How are the others?"

"Good. Looks like we are 6-0 tonight. Come on we are going to call it a night." Sidney walked from the doorway out into the street.

Usagi grabbed a towel from the stove and wiped on her blade before retracting it and returning the hilt to the magnet on her belt. She glanced around one last time feeling sorry for whoever had to clean this kitchen tomorrow.

"Usagi way to go girl you..." Hana yelled as Usagi and Jack walked through the doorway only to stop in mid sentence when she saw Usagi was covered in blood. "... Really shouldn't get that close when killing a vampire."

The rest of the group began to chuckle at Hana's comment irritating Usagi. "You guys could have given me a heads up." Usagi said as she turned to walk out the alleyway.

"Where's the fun in that." Hana chided Usagi playfully. "Plus I didn't think you would kill a vampire on your first night. I thought for sure one of us would have to bail you out."

The group rounded the corner only to be stopped by a group of boys that had positioned themselves at the exit of the alleyway.

"Nice job Sidney." One of the boys said as he threw a stone in their direction.

Sidney caught the stone that was thrown at her and glared at the boy who through it. "What are you doing here Hideyoshi? This is our territory."

Hana must have seen Usagi's perplexed expression because she leaned over and whispered, "Lost boys gang members. Get ready to fight."

Hideyoshi smirked as he moved a little closer. "We decided our territory was in need of expansion and we like this area."

"It's never going to happen." Riley chimed in this time as she got into a fighting stance.

"Let's rumble for it then. If we win we get the territory. If you win well you get to keep it." Hideyoshi looked at Sidney expectantly.

Before Sidney could answer the sounds of police sirens echoed down an adjacent street. The door Usagi crashed through must have had a silent alarm that alerted the police when it was set off.

"Damn." Hideyoshi cursed loudly. "I guess we will have to postpone this rumble for another night. "

"I guess we will." Sidney said as she placed a hand on Riley's shoulder signaling her to relax.

The lost boys took off running obviously not wanting to get caught by the police.

"Ok everyone split up and go home." Sidney yelled to her group. "We will debrief about tonight tomorrow evening. Get home safe."

Usagi took off running closely behind the group before splitting off in the direction of her house. Even though Jack was injured in the battle he was able to keep up with Usagi.

"Don't worry Jack we will be home soon." Usagi reassured the injured Akita.

Sebastian stood on the balcony of Takako's apartment over looking the city of Sapporo. Shame about his actions towards Kenji had set in. He had meant to counsel the boy into walking away from the vampire world. When that didn't work he attempted to scare the boy by showing the brutality of the vampire world. He had ended up terrorizing that boy and he deeply regretted that decision.

When Sebastian was still with his maker he often terrorized young men and women. His maker had commanded him to do so because she got some type of sexual thrill from watching him terrorize others. The first decade of his vampire life was something he wished to forget. He had killed and hurt so many at the command of his maker. And the memories of those years often interrupted his sleep. Once he was freed from his makers hold he promised himself he would never terrorize another person again. And until tonight he had kept that promise.

Sebastian reached into his pocket and pulled out his cell phone. After an emotionally draining day Sebastian longed to hear Usagi's voice. He was still processing his experience he had with Usagi's blood. Sebastian's sunlight adventure lasted only an hour, but it would be an hour he would treasure for the rest of his life. Within the vampire community there were stories of vampires who had been cured by drinking the blood of special individuals. These stories had long been dismissed as just stories with no evidence to back it up.

Sebastian decided that he would not tell Usagi of what happened yesterday until he had more information. He clicked on Usagi's name in his contact list and waited for her answer.

"Hello." The voice of Usagi came over the other line.

"Hello, little rabbit." Sebastian said as he felt all of his shame and anxiety melt away. " How was your day?"

Usagi had just finished showering and was in bed getting ready to fall asleep when Sebastian had called. Hearing his voice created a longingly in Usagi to connect with him. She found this odd given that he left only earlier this evening yet she was craving his intimacy. "Very eventful."

"Oh, yeah? How so?" Sebastian wanted to know all about Usagi day, but mostly he just wanted to hear Usagi talk.

"Well, I now have a sword to fight vampires. It's pretty cool because the blade retracts into the hilt. I have to say I'm pretty fond of it." Usagi laughed at her own admission.

Sebastian smiled as he heard Usagi's joyous laugh. "And did we get to use it today?"

"Yes." Usagi said quietly. "I killed my first vampire today." Usagi said even more quietly afraid of Sebastian's response.

Sebastian sense Usagi's apprehension over the phone. "Are you ok?"

"I wasn't hurt too bad in the fight." Usagi responded quickly.

Sebastian shook his head at her misunderstanding him. Usagi was a capable fighter and he knew she could handle herself. While her being serious injured was a concern for Sebastian it was lower on his list of concerns. He was more concerned about the emotional cost of fighting within his world. "I mean are you emotionally ok. Killing a vampire can be very disturbing." Sebastian pushed gently.

Usagi thought that was the understatement of the night. "I think I am ok. The vampire was trying to kill me so it was either him or me. Some how that make it easier I guess."

Sebastian heard the conflict in her voice. The act of killing the vampire must have had an effect on her that she hadn't processed it yet. "Well, I'm glad to hear you are ok."

Usagi relaxed as she heard Sebastian's support for her. "Jack was injured a bit. He's ok, just a bit of limp. He tried to fight along side of me even though I told him to stay."

Usagi had found a cut on the bottom of Jack's right front paw and that was causing his limp. Usagi held the phone between her head and shoulder as she cleaned and wrapped Jack's paws.

Sebastian could hear Jack growl in the background. "Well, that sounds like something Jack would do. I'm happy to hear he is ok." Sebastian paused for a bit and before he could stop himself he said, "I love you Usagi and I miss you."

Usagi was taken aback by Sebastian declaration, but more by her response. "I miss and love you too."


	18. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Rei leaned against the gate of Juuban Municipal High School as she patiently waited for dismissal bell to ring. She tapped her feet rhythmically as she stared at the sky. The day had been absolutely beautiful without a cloud in sight. For once she felt sorry for Usagi being stuck in school all day. Rei heard the dismissal bell travel through the schoolyard and she stood up to attention. Within a few minutes students began to trickle from the school as they headed home. Rei scanned the scant crowd for her friend's distinctive hairstyle. Slowly the stream of students exiting dwindled and there was still no Usagi.

Rei wondered if Usagi had gotten in trouble and had to stay behind after class. After a few moments a young male around Usagi age began to walk through the gate and Rei decided to ask him if Usagi was still in class. 

"Excuse me. Do you know if a girl named Usagi Tsukino is still in the classroom? She should be in the tenth year makeup classes." Rei asked the young man as he passed her.

The young man gave Rei a quizzical look before he shook his head. "There's been no girl by that name in my class." 

Rei looked at the boy in disbelieve. He must be mistaken. "She has a very unique hairstyle. They look like little dumplings on the top of her head." Rei pointed to her head and drew two small circles to emphasize her point.

"I would remember a hairstyle like that and there is no girl in my class like that. Sorry." The boy said as he continued his walk home. 

Rei looked back at the school and knew it was possible that the boy was in a different class. There was only one way to find out if Usagi was enrolled in summer class and that was to access the academic records. Rei knew only one person smart enough to accomplish that task.

Back at the Tokyo Slayer hideout Usagi was sitting on the couch waiting for the meeting to begin. Usagi traced circles with her left index finger on the arm of the couch as she watched Jack sleep in front if her on the floor. To her right Hana and Janice sat talking about the night before while Keiko and Riley sat across from them listening. 

Sidney walked into the meeting area and sat in a chair located next Usagi. " All right everyone. Let's begin the meeting." Sidney had a clipboard in front of her and glanced down at it before beginning again. "Excellent job everyone last night. Especially to our newest member Usagi-san."

Everyone applauded making Usagi blush.

"As long as we keep her away from doors she might impress us again." Hana teased as gently nudged Usagi with her elbow. 

" ." Usagi replied sarcastically.

"With the Lost Boys actively challenging us we need to keep our guard up." Sidney continued seemly ignoring the side comments within the group. "Nobody goes to the Kabukicho district alone. I don't want anyone getting jumped by the Lost Boys." Sidney turned on the TV and highlighted a building within the Kabukicho district. "Tonight we have a very special mission."

The group sat up to attention at word mission. "What kind of mission?" Hana asked with a little too much excitement.

Sidney smiled at Hana eagerness. "Patience Hana. I have received intelligence that there is a nest of vampires located in this warehouse." Sidney used the laser on her controller to point to the building. "This warehouse is used to store rice before they are shipped to grocery stores around the Tokyo region." Sidney pushed a button and the floor plans to the warehouse appeared.

"How many vampires are we talking about?" Riley asked as she surveyed the floor plans.

"Eight to ten vampires." Sidney responded causing Riley to give her a questioning look. "They are definitely new vampires and I believe our group can handle it."

"Are you sure?" Riley asked with uncertainty in her voice. "We have many newbies in this group."

Sidney seemed slightly perturbed at Riley questioning her orders. "They've proved themselves last night and they will prove me right tonight." There was finality in her voice and Riley remained quite for the rest of the meeting. "We will enter here." Sidney pointed to a window located on the second floor. " We will climb the fire escape and enter through this window on to the second floor. From there we will locate the vampires and kill them."

"Are we sure they will be there?" Usagi asked. "They might go out for the night."

Sidney smiled at Usagi's question. "I already thought of that. We will attack just as the sun is setting hopefully taking them by surprise." Sidney looked at her watch before turning off the television. "We must leave soon so let's suit up." 

Everyone stood up and walked over to the weapon table to prepare for the next patrol. Jack stood up to follow Usagi, but she stopped him.

"No, Jack." Usagi said quietly yet firmly. "I think you should stay here and wait for me to return. I can't guarantee your safety tonight." Usagi stood up and began to walk to the weapon table and again Jack began to follow. Usagi turned around again and wag her finger at Jack. "You're so stubborn Jack. Don't make me tie you up." Usagi warned.

Jack looked at Usagi and lowered his head as he sat down. He knew Usagi would tie him up if he tried to follow her, but he could easily break free by changing back into his human form. Jack decided he would wait for Usagi to leave before sneaking back out to find her.

Sebastian sat on the couch in his hotel suite drinking a glass of synthetic blood. In two hours he would be at Cato's apartment interrogating the vampire caught by Cato. Sebastian swirled the synthetic blood in the wine glass watching the blood stick to the sides. Mabel sat down next to Sebastian breaking his concentration on his drink.

"Are you going to drink it or just stare at your food?" Mabel asked as sipped synthetic blood from her own glass.

"I guess I'm not that hungry." Sebastian replied as he placed his drink down. 

Mabel placed her glass down and gave Sebastian her full attention "You seem nervous Sebastian. What's bothering you?"

Sebastian looked into Mabel's sympathetic eyes and gave her a pensive smile. Tensions had been at an all time high within his nest, but despite that Mabel took every chance she got to ease those tensions. "To be honest Mabel I don't know. I feel an evil presence that I can't seem to define or locate. I fear that evil will cause irreparable damage to my life and to the lives of the people I care about. " 

Mabel closed the gap between her and Sebastian and gave him a warm hug. "Don't worry about Usagi. We can protect her from whatever our world throws at her."

Sebastian returned the hug before releasing Mabel and gently pushing her back. When their faces were inches from one another Sebastian clasped his hands over Mabel's cheeks and whispered, "Usagi's life is not the only one I'm concerned for Mabel." 

Sebastian leaned his forehead into Mabel's and stared into Mabel's eyes. "I don't ever want to loose my family." 

"You won't loose us." Arabella said from the doorway adjoining Sebastian's room to Arabella and Mabel's room.

Sebastian turned his head to look at Arabella. "I wish you could keep that promise."

Arabella gave Sebastian a cocky grin and responded with "I plan to keep my promise." 

Sebastian held in a laugh at Arabella's sassy response. "I'm sure you will keep that promise just to spite me." 

Mabel felt the tension from the past two days melt away and she couldn't help smiling in relief. "It's about time you two made up." 

Ami sat in her room reading one of her romance novels deeply involved in the story line. During the school year Ami had very little time for pleasure reading and she tended to catch up on her romance novels during the summer. Her mother was working a night shift at hospital leaving her home alone again. 

The sound of the doorbell broke the silence in the apartment confusing Ami slightly. She had not ordered take out and had not invited any of her friends over. Getting up from her bed she walked to the front door and looked through the peephole. To her surprise Rei stood on the other side waiting patiently for Ami to answer.

Ami opened the door and greeted her friend. "Good evening Rei-chan. Please come in." Ami stepped to the side to allow Rei to enter her apartment. 

"Thank you Ami-chan." Rei said as she walked through the doorway into Ami's apartment. 

"What's the matter?" Ami asked as she noticed Rei preoccupied state.

"I need to talk to you about something important. Can we talk in your room?" Rei asked as she took off her shoes and placed them near the door.

"Sure. Follow me." Ami walked Rei to her bedroom and sat down on her bed.

Rei sat down next to Ami and placed her purse on the bed next to her. "I need your help with something." 

Ami smiled at her friend. "You know I would help you with anything. What do you need help with?" 

"I need you to hack into the Juuban Municipal High School records and see if Usagi is attending summer school." Rei said bluntly.

Ami smiled turn to shock before evolving into a frown. She was very skilled when it came to computers and she could do what Rei asked with ease, but the ethics of the situation gave her pause. "I'm not sure I can do that. We would be violating Usagi-chan's privacy."

Rei knew she would get some resistance from Ami, but she wasn't going to back down. "Yes, we would be violating her privacy, but she has been lying to us. I don't think she has been going to summer school like she told us. She hiding something and I think she is in trouble." 

Ami looked at Rei with disbelief. "What evidence do you have that she is not attending school?"

Rei suppressed an irritated smile as she listened to Ami. She was a scientist at heart and if she wanted evidence Rei was going to give it to her. "I went to Usagi's school today and a classmate says that no one by that name has been in his class." Ami looked like she was about to counter Rei's evidence, but Rei held up her hand to silence her friend "I know it's not a lot of evidence, but let's look at Usagi's behavior over the past month. First, she has been distant. She uses the excuse that it's due to school, but I question that. Second, we all have seen her increase in power that day at the grocery store. You know Usagi only has an increase in power when a new enemy has appeared. Finally, I have been having dreams about Usagi."

Ami's eyes widened at the mention of Rei's dreams. "What kind of dreams?" 

Rei stood up from the bed and placed her hands on her hips. She looked at the ceiling and took a deep breath before returning her gaze to Ami. "I keep having this recurring dream that Usagi is in trouble. She's running from something, but I can't see what. All I can see is that Usagi is terrified. I know she is in trouble. That's why I need to know if she is in summer school. I need to know why she has been lying." Rei could feel her eyes begin to sting and she knew she was on the verge of tears. "We can only help her by confronting her on her lies. Maybe then she will open up to us." Rei's voice broke with the last statement and she waited for Ami to respond.

Ami looked at Rei for a moment and she knew Rei was being sincere about her motives. Standing up she walked over to her desk and turned on the computer. "I hope you're wrong." 

"I hope I'm wrong too." Rei said as she walked over to Ami's desk and looked over Ami's shoulder. 

Once the computer finished loading Ami wasted no time hacking into the Juuban Municipal High School records. Rei watched as Ami scanned through the registration records for summer school. "I found Usagi's registration. She registered for summer classes back in April."

Rei started to internally curse herself when she heard that Usagi was registered for summer classes. Maybe there was nothing going on with Usagi and she was being too sensitive. 

"Wait." Ami said as she clicked on something. "She unregistered one day before classes were to begin." Ami sat back in disbelief. "I don't understand. Usagi seemed like she was taking school seriously. I was proud of her." 

Rei looked at the computer screen to confirm with her own eyes. "We need to have an emergency Senshi meeting. Let's meet tomorrow at the shrine. I will call Minako and you call Makoto. Don't tell them what the meeting is about."

Ami nodded and hit the print button. She walked over to her printer and picked up a copy of the school records. "I will bring this as evidence."

Rei picked up her purse from Ami's bed and walk towards the door. "Good. I should go home. I will see you tomorrow." 

Ami walked Rei to the door and bid her friend goodbye. Closing the door behind Rei she walked over to the living room and turned on the TV. She was far too distracted to continue with her romance novel tonight.

Usagi stood next to Sidney as they both looked at the fire escape above them. The sun was barely visible in the sky and it would be gone within 10 minutes if not earlier. Riley walked in front of them and jumped to grab the ladder of the fire escape. Riley's height served as a distinct advantage because she was able to grab the ladder in one leap. Pulling the ladder down Riley held the ladder and motion for the group to begin to climb.

In silence everyone in the group slowly ascended the ladder taking their time so they would not make a sound. Sidney reached the window first and carefully opened the unlocked window. She waved to Usagi to enter the building first. Inside was a wall of rice bags stacked 15 bags high. This wall of rice hid Usagi entrance into the building. Crawling forward Usagi waited for the rest of her group to arrive.

Once the entire group was inside Sidney pointed to Hana, Janice, and Riley motioning for them to go right. Sidney then pointed to Usagi and Keiko followed by another hand motion signaling them to follow her. Usagi and Keiko nodded to Sidney in understanding and followed her as she crept silently to what Usagi assumed was the staircase. 

The entrance to the staircase was clear but flanked by two large towers of rice bags providing perfect coverage. Sidney leaned delicately around the rice bag tower to assess the number of vampires that were below. Returning to her previous position Sidney held up both hand extending all ten fingers. There were ten vampires on the floor below them. Sidney grabbed Usagi arm and gently pushed her to the corner so she could take a look.

Usagi leaned to her side and peered around the corner of the rice bag tower and down to the floor below. Usagi glance around and counted nine vampires. There were four girls and five boys in a scattered pattern with rice bags being used for chairs or beds. Returning to her previous position Usagi held up 9 fingers. Sidney shook her head and held up 10 fingers. Keiko took her turn to evaluate the vampire situation before the group started their attack.

Tetsuya leaned against the wall as he looked at the group he was forced to call a family. Each vampire within this nest had been sired by the same vampire making all of them brothers and sisters. He had been a vampire for little over a week and all he could think about was how to get out of this situation. His maker was forcing him to kill people and any signs of remorse was severely punished. Tetsuya examined his left hand and found no trace of trauma it had endured the night before.

Last night Tetsuya had refused to feed off of a terrified boy his maker had provided him. His maker responded to his defiance by holding his left hand over a fire until it was nothing more than a charred skeleton. Tonight his maker would return likely with more victims and he again would be forced to kill. Looking across the room he watched his friend Ishi talk to another vampire. He barely recognized the boy he called his friend.

When Ishi was a human he was quiet, shy, and antisocial in his character. Fellow classmates often picked on him in school and Tetsuya was his only true friend.

Now Ishi showed remarkable talent for cruelty and seemed to readily exchange his humanity for power. This had Tetsuya question if he every really known Ishi when they were human. Was Ishi truly kind hearted as he had thought or had there always been something sinister beneath the surface?

Tetsuya continued to stare at Ishi when something unexpected happened. Ishi grabbed his chest and screamed in pain before he exploded into bloody pile of skin on the floor. Chaos ensued as six women appeared and began to attack the group.

Usagi heard a scream from one of the vampires below signaling the beginning of the fight. Sidney stood up and sprinted down the stairs with her sword hilt in her hand. Usagi followed Sidney down the stairs pulling a wooden stake from her belt. Once Usagi made it down the staircase she was greeted with a full on brawl. Each member of her group was fighting either one or two vampires. Usagi scanned her surroundings and noticed a male vampire standing at the far end of the room. He must have been the tenth vampire Sidney had seen. Usagi and the vampire made eye contact before he took off running through a door nearest to him. 

Usagi placed her stake back in her belt before sprinting across the room following the vampire through the door. The door opened into the narrow alleyway and Usagi could see the vampire turning left down a street in front of her. Night had set and Usagi's eyes were having a hard time adjusting to the decreased light at the rate she needed them to adjust. Picking up her pace she tried to close the gap between her and the vampire. As she turned left down the street she again spotted the vampire this time she was a little closer. Usagi watched as the vampire took another left down the next street and she again turned left. In front of Usagi the vampire stopped in his tracks as he faced a dead end.

The vampire turned to his right and kicked a door in before running through the entrance. This delay gave Usagi enough time to close the gap between her and the vampire. Usagi ran through the door and to her immediate right was a half landing style staircase. The vampire was at the top of the first landing and rounding the corner.

Usagi was thankful in this moment for her tardy history at school. Constantly being late for school made her an excellent sprinter with decent endurance. Following her target Usagi ascended the stairs trying her best to keep the vampire in her sights.

When Usagi and the vampire reached the roof Usagi was so close she could almost touch the vampire. She could feel her chest getting tight and she knew she could not keep this chase up for long.

Her target ran towards the edge of the building without adjusting his speed. Once he reached the end he used the small ledge to push himself off the ground and leap forwards towards the next building. Usagi had little time to react and chose to follow her target as opposed to stopping in her tracks. As Usagi pushed off the ledge and sailed through the air she was relieved to see that the neighboring building was very close and easy to reach. In front of her she watched as he vampire landed and took off towards the next ledge.

Usagi hit the ground with little force falling slightly forward, but recovered by taking bigger strides. Usagi focused on her breathing and started to build an energy ball in her right hand. As the vampire pushed off from the second ledge Usagi released the energy ball projecting it towards the vampire as he was in midair. The energy ball hit the vampire in the right shoulder causing him to spin eventually landing on his back on the neighboring building.

Usagi picked up some last minute speed before she leapt off the edge of the building. In the air she pulled her sword hilt from her belt and prepared to fight the now injured vampire. Usagi landed with her feet on either side of the vampire, which startled the stunned vampire. Using her momentum from her landing Usagi slammed the vampire back to the ground by sitting on his abdomen. At the same time she position the hilt of the sword on the chest of the vampire and place her thumb over the release button.

"You move and you're dead." Usagi yelled as she pressed the hilt firmly into the vampire's chest.

The vampire froze in fear and with a shaky voice responded, "Ok"

"I have some questions." Usagi began as she steady her hands that were shaking. "Answer my questions and I may set you free, understand?"

The vampire nodded doing his best not to move.

"How long have you been a vampire?" Usagi asked. 

"A little over a week." The vampire whispered in response. 

The vampire's response triggered a memory within Usagi. She remembered the bodies within the cave in the Aokigahara forest. "Where did you wake up as a vampire?"

"I was walking home with my friend from the arcade and the next thing I remember I was waking up in a cave with no memory of how I got there."

Usagi's heart skipped a beat. This was one of the dead boys she found in the cave over a week ago. "What's your name?" 

"Tetsuya." He responded his voice wavering a bit at the end.

Usagi loosened her grip on her sword. "Did you want to become a vampire?" 

Tetsuya's eyebrows furrowed as he looked at Usagi intensely. "No." He said with a crack in his voice. 

Usagi watched as tears began to fall down Tetsuya's cheek, but instead of saline tears the tears were made of blood. Usagi let her hands fall to her side. What was she doing? Looking into Tetsuya's eyes she could tell he was tortured by his new state of existence. There was no doubt in Usagi's mind that he was good man trapped in an impossible situation. She was so close to taking his life and that scared her.

Tetsuya grabbed Usagi's arm and manipulated it so she was again pressing the sword hilt into his chest. "Kill me." 

"What?" Usagi yelled shocked by Tetsuya's actions.

"I'm a monster." Tetsuya explained. "I don't want to spend the rest of this life killing to survive."

Usagi struggled to free the sword from Tetsuya's grasp. She covered the release button afraid he would hit it and end his life. During the struggle Usagi's hand began to glow and she could feel an intense energy building with in her. Tetsuya released the hilt as notice that the woman in front of him started to glow. On her forehead was a crescent shape that glowed so brightly it blinded Tetsuya. Usagi took advantage of the situation and threw the hilt of the sword to the side and watched as it slid across the ground. The energy that had built in the struggle could not be repressed and Usagi knew she had to release it. Standing up she put some distance between her and Tetsuya and released the stream of energy into the air through her hands. The force of the energy that was released caused a great strain on Usagi's body and she collapsed to the ground in fatigue.

Tetsuya watched as Usagi collapsed to her knees supporting herself with one hand. "What are you?" He asked as he stared at the strange woman before him.

Usagi gave a weak smile and responded, "I can help you. You don't have to kill yourself." 

Tetsuya looked at the woman with disbelief. Only a few minutes ago this woman was seconds away from killing him and now she wanted to help him? "Why the sudden change of heart?" Tetsuya yelled at her. "You chased me with the intent to kill me so finish the job before I hurt someone!"

Usagi eyes began to fill with tears as she looked at Tetsuya's hopeless expression. "I'm sorry I hurt you. I didn't know that you were good." 

Usagi's remorse just made Tetsuya angrier with his opponent. "I'm not good. I am a demon of the night. I survive on the blood of others. If I remain alive I will only hurt innocent people. Now quit crying and finish the job."

Tears were freely flowing down Usagi's eyes as she stood up and walked over Tetsuya. Usagi knelt down in front of Tetsuya and looked into his eyes. "You're good." Usagi whispered as she gently placed her hand over his chest. "I can feel it. There are vampires out there who don't kill to survive. They live as if they were human only difference is that they come out at night. I can introduce you to them and they can help you."

Tetsuya looked into Usagi's eyes and felt a calmness overcome him. He was filled with a warm energy like the rays from the sun on a warm summer day. He felt her compassion and sincerity. "Help me." Tetsuya finally said as he surrendered completely to Usagi. 

Usagi smiled and nodded. "I will. I promise." Usagi stood up and looked around. "We need to hurry. The others will come to look for me and they will kill you if they find you. We should split up and meet up later." 

Tetsuya stood up and wiped the bloody tears from his eyes. "Where should we meet?" 

"Let's meet in the park near the fountain." Usagi said quickly as she picked up her sword hilt. She hit the button on the hilt and the blade was released. "I will tell the others that I killed you, but I will need some of your blood to make my story credible."

Tetsuya walked over to Usagi and offered his hand. "Cut my hand."

Usagi nodded and used the blade to cut Tetsuya's hand. Once blood was flowing she gently covered each side of the blade with blood. "That should be enough." Usagi handed Tetsuya her handkerchief. "Use my handkerchief to stop the bleeding."

"Thank you." Tetsuya said as he took the handkerchief.

"Stay here until I lead the rest of my group away. Then make your way to the park." Usagi said as she walked to the entrance of the roof access.

Tetsuya nodded and watched Usagi exit through the roof access.

Back at the warehouse the Tokyo Slayers were regrouping outside in the alley.

"All the vampires in the warehouse have been killed." Riley confirmed as she exited the warehouse.

"Good." Sidney responded. "Where is Usagi?" Sidney asked as she noticed Usagi's absence. 

"I saw her run out the door after a vampire." Janice said as she looked around the alley for Usagi.

Riley shook her head. "Great. That's the last thing we need is to loose track of one of the newbies." 

"I'm sure Usagi is fine." Sidney said confidently.

Riley looked annoyed as she turned her gaze away from Sidney. Why Sidney trusted Usagi so much was beyond her comprehension. Riley had been a faithful follower for years and she hoped her loyalty would pay off by becoming Sidney's new partner. Then Usagi arrived and now she seemed to be Riley's new rival for Sidney's attention.

Usagi turned the corner to the alleyway where the warehouse was located. In front of the building the group stood in a circle. "Hey guys. Talk about a work out." Usagi joked as she approached the group."

"Usagi!" Janice and Hana yelled in unison. "Where did you go?"

Usagi joined the group and smiled at Hana and Janice. "My vampire decided to go for a run, but don't worry I caught him." Usagi winked and showed the others the blood on her sword. Usagi the wiped the blood off with a spare cloth she had placed in her pocket before she retracted the blade. "I don't know about you guys, but I'm exhausted."

Sidney placed her right hand on the top of Usagi's head and rubbed it. "That's my girl. You out ran a vampire! I'm very impressed."

"Me too." Keiko said in a quite voice. "Vampires are very fast."

"It was a new vampire so I don't know why you guys are so impressed." Riley said with some resentment in her voice.

"Even new vampires are fast." Sidney countered. "Anyway, let's call it a night. I think we all deserve an early night."

The sound of a falling trashcan captured the group's attention causing everyone to reach for their weapons. Only when a hesitant Jack appeared from behind the trashcan did the group relax. 

"Jack, I told you to stay back at the hideout." Usagi said in an exasperated tone.

Jack walked slowly up to Usagi with his head lowered and his ears back. When he reached Usagi he laid down rolling over on his back exposing his belly.

Usagi laughed at Jack act of surrendered. "You must be punished for not listening to me." Usagi said as she began to tickle Jack and she swore she saw Jack laughing. After few seconds of tickling Usagi stopped and stood up. "OK Jack. Let's go home." 

Sebastian stood inside Cato's study located on the first floor of his house. Arabella and Mabel chose not to come to the interrogation and instead went to explore downtown Sapporo. Sebastian scanned Cato's bookshelf trying to get a glimpse into Cato's personality. The books on his bookshelf consisted mostly of history books and ancient Japanese art books.

"If you would like to borrow a book just let me know." Cato said from behind Sebastian. 

Sebastian smiled, "I may have to take you up on that offer, but another time. I'm here on business."

"Yes. Well, if you follow me I will take you to the prisoner." Cato said as he opened the door and began to walk through.

Sebastian followed Cato down the hall and into the basement of the house. The basement had been converted into what appeared to be a jail. There were three rooms with solid silver metal doors. Each door also had a very thick window.

A tall and very thin black woman sat a desk that was located just bellow the stairs. She had strong cheekbones, hair so short she almost looked bald, and piercing amber colored eyes. 

"This is Samrawit. She moved to our region a couple of years ago. Given her very old age she has no official title in our court. She pretty much does as she pleases." Cato teased as he introduced the woman.

"Do I sense jealously from you Cato?" Samrawit asked with a playful smile.

"A little." Cato admitted. "Being over two thousand years old gives you many perks."

Samrawit laughed as she stood up. "I do have many perks, but being this old can also be tiresome." 

Sebastian bowed to Samrawit as he had never met such an old vampire. "It is nice to meet you. If you don't mind may I ask why you decide to come to Sapporo?"

"To be closer to my Imouto of course." Samrawit said in a matter of fact tone. 

"Who is your Imouto-san?" Sebastian asked. 

"Takako. I was with my maker when she turned her into a vampire." Samrawit explained. "She was a handful back then. Well, she still is a handful. The only difference is that she is a Shogun now." 

"Family never really changes, does it?" Sebastian said wistfully as he thought about his recent fight with Arabella.

"No, but we're not here to talk about family. Would like to speak to the prisoner?" Samrawit asked as she pulled out a pair of leather gloves. 

"Yes. I want to question her about human deaths in my area."

Samrawit put on the leather gloves and retrieved sliver keys from the desk. "This vampire is very young. I would say she is barely a month old. She's has had very little guidance."

"Did she tell you who her sire was?" Sebastian asked as he walked closer to one of the metal doors.

Samrawit shook her head. "She is either protecting her maker or doesn't know her maker."

Sebastian could feel anger rise within him. "How irresponsible of her maker." 

Samrawit walked over to the first metal door and unlocked it. "I agree, but she has been unwilling to open up to us. Maybe you will have better luck." Samrawit opened the door allowing Sebastian to walk through. 

Sebastian walked through the door and heard the door shut and lock behind him. Before him was a young woman in her early twenties with sliver cuffs around her wrists. Sebastian saw smoke simmering from her wrist as the handcuffs burned through her skin.

"Good evening. My name is Sebastian." He said gently as he walked over to the young woman.

The young woman did not respond and continued to stare at the floor.

"You look very uncomfortable in those handcuffs. Let me remove the for you." Sebastian walked over to the door and waited for Samrawit to open it. When the door opened Samrawit handed him a pair of leather gloves. Sebastian put on the leather gloves before he took a small key from Samrawit. Samrawit also brought a plastic chair with her and placed it in the room before leaving. Sebastian walked away from the door and heard it close and lock again. Sebastian walked over to the young vampire and slowly removed her silver handcuffs. He placed the handcuffs on a table in the corner before sitting down on the plastic chair.

"Does that feel better?" Sebastian asked as he watched the young woman from across the room. 

"Yes." The young woman whispered but did not look up. 

"I want to help you, but the only way I can do that is if you talk to me." Sebastian sat back in his chair and waited for the woman to respond.

The woman slowly looked up and examined Sebastian. "Do you really want to help me? I sense that you have alternative motives."

"I want to help you get out of this situation. I get the feeling you did not choose to become a vampire and were left to your own devices with no guidance. That is truly unfair to you."

Bloody tears again began to flow from the young vampire's eyes and Sebastian knew his instincts were right.

Sebastian waited for the young vampire to speak, but she seemed to be too overcome by emotion to respond. "Why don't we start with your name and life you had before you were turned?"

The woman took a deep breath trying to calm herself before speaking. "My name is Etsumi and I grew up in Tokyo."

Usagi made her way to the arranged meeting place in the park with Jack close on her heels. She wanted to ask Tetsuya more questions about why he was turned into a vampire against his wishes. Was his maker just a sadistic vampire or was there a larger purpose to his actions.

Usagi sat on the edge of the fountain leaning backwards to gaze into the sky. The sky was clear of clouds, but the city lights dimmed the stars that shinned above. There were times when Usagi wished she did not live in a city. She truly loved to star gaze because she felt most connected with her past. Usagi returned her attentions to her surroundings and watched as Jacks sniffed around the park. She hoped Tetsuya would meet her here tonight because she believed she could help him get out of his current situation.

Usagi became startled as she heard Jack begin to growl. Jack eyes were focused on a patch of trees and bushes head of him. She watched as he crouched down as if he was ready to lunge forward.

"Jack, come here." Usagi commanded and Jack reluctantly complied. Usagi kept her eyes fixed on the patch of trees in front of her. Within a few seconds Tetsuya appeared and slowly moved towards Usagi,

Usagi could feel Jack begin to tense up and quickly placed a hand on Jack's head in an attempt to calm him. "It's ok Jack. He's a friend."

"Can you really help me?" Tetsuya asked as he closed the gap between him and Usagi.

Usagi nodded as she smiled at Tetsuya, "Yes. I have friends who are vampires. They live respectful lives that don't require sacrificing human lives. I could introduce them to you and they could help you."

"I would like that. Can you take me to them now?" Tetsuya asked.

Usagi shook her head. "No. They are away on business, but they should be back in the next few days. You can stay with me until they get back."

Tetsuya was taken aback by Usagi's offer. "That is very generous offer, but you don't know me. How can you be so trusting?"

Usagi stood up from her sitting position on the fountain. "I trust you because I can feel that you are a good person. I can't leave you alone when you are so vulnerable. Now come on. We should get you back to my place where you will be safe."

Tetsuya couldn't help but smile at Usagi. She radiated kindness and generosity. He knew his only chance for survival was to follow her. "Ok. Let's go then." 

Usagi began to walk towards the park exit with Tetsuya next to her. "Tetsuya do you mind if I ask you some questions?" 

"No." Tetsuya said as he places his hand into his coat pockets.

"From my understanding of vampire society the making of a vampire is very selective and highly controlled. Did your maker ever tell you why he chose to turn you into a vampire?" 

Tetsuya thought for a while before answering. "He never really said why he chose me. All I know is that every vampire's he sired was going to become apart of his army. He said he was a general loyal to vampire who wants to be the supreme shogun of Japan. We trained every night to get a handle on our new abilities. We were supposed to meet this new vampire leader tomorrow at a special meeting." 

This new information she was receiving from Tetsuya was a turning point in her investigation. This was the threat she sensed was drawing near. This new vampire was looking for complete control over Japan. " Do you know where this meeting is tomorrow?"

Tetsuya raised his right eyebrow as he examined Usagi's expression. There was no fear present just an unquenchable thirst for knowledge. "Yes, It's going to be held at a club called Akuryou."

"I know that place!" Usagi exclaimed. "Sebastian took me there the first time we went out." 

"You are not thinking about going to this meeting are you?" Tetsuya asked afraid of the answer he was going to receive from Usagi.

"Why not?" Usagi said dismissively. "This is the vampire I have been searching for. I just need to plan a little recon mission."

Tetsuya stopped suddenly and threw his hands in the air. "Are you insane! You're going to a club full of vampires with no back up and no real plan. That's like a cow walking into a stake house full of hungry customers that were told ten minutes earlier they are out of steak. Oh, and by the way you are the cow!" 

Usagi ignored Tetsuya outburst and continued to plan her recon mission. "I could enter the club pretending to be a vampire. I could go to that magic store we passed in the Kabukicho district and find that spray the blocks human scent." 

Usagi was having a whole conversation to herself and Tetsuya realized that Usagi was going tomorrow no matter what he said to discourage her. "I'm coming with you."

Usagi stopped talking and looked at Tetsuya. "No. This is going to be dangerous. I couldn't have you in that kind of situation."

Tetsuya took Usagi hand and held it tightly. " I'm not going to leave you alone in a club full of vampires. You're just a girl. A girl with powers, but still just a girl"

"Yes, I am a girl." Usagi yelled as she pulled her hand away. "Does my gender make me weak? Hell, no. I'm no ordinary girl." Usagi's hand began to glow, but the energy she produced quickly grew out of control. Usagi threw the energy ball knocking a trashcan over and into the street. "Damn it. Ok I can't control it all the time, but I can still use that power when I need to."

Tetsuya looked at the trashcan that had been hurdled into the street by Usagi's energy ball. "So you can take care of yourself. I can see that, but I'm still coming with you." 

"Fine." Usagi said with a grunt. "Looks like we are in this together." Usagi stopped at the gate of her house. "We've made it to my house. Follow me inside." 

Tetsuya followed Usagi into the house and she gave him a mini tour. They ended the tour at a bedroom that had the name Shingo on the front. 

"This is my brother's room. You can stay here until I introduce you to Sebastian."

"Thank you." Tetsuya said as he opened the door. "Have a good night."

Usagi smiled, "You too."

Usagi walked back to her room and picked up her phone. Jack parked himself in front of the door effectively make himself a doorstop. "Don't worry Jack. Tetsuya won't hurt me."

Jack did not move from his spot and kept his eyes on the door. Usagi shrugged and took out her cell phone. She dialed a Sebastian number and waited for his reply. 

Sebastian had just returned to his hotel after hours of talking to Etsumi. The talk with Etsumi was spent mostly talking about her life as a human and had not provided any new information. He had not pushed her to reveal her maker or any illegal activity. He was building a relationship with her and gaining her trust. He hoped tomorrow would provide the answers he was looking for from Etsumi.

Sebastian heard his cell phone ring and smiled when the caller ID read Usagi. "Good evening my little rabbit how was your night?" 

"Every eventful." Usagi said with excitement.

"More eventful than yesterday?" Sebastian asked as he sat down on his bed.

"Yes," Usagi insisted. "The Tokyo Slayers and I attacked a nest of vampire today. I chased a vampire down and was about to kill him, but I couldn't" 

"I hope you were not hurt." Sebastian said with concern in his voice.

"No, I wasn't hurt." Usagi reassured Sebastian. "The vampire I was chasing was one of the boys I found dead in the cave in the Aokigahara forest. His name is Tetsuya and he was forced to become a vampire so he could be a solder in a war."

Sebastian clutched the phone and pressed it firmly to his ear afraid we would miss pertinent information. "What kid of war?" 

"I don't know yet. I might know more by tomorrow night." Usagi responded.

"What's happens tomorrow?" Sebastian was getting a sick feeling in his stomach. Usagi was up to something and it sounded dangerous.

"The Tokyo Slayers have another mission tomorrow. We should get more information about this new war." Usagi lied. She was not meeting with the Tokyo Slayers tomorrow and had the night off. Usagi didn't want Sebastian to know she would be going out on her own mission with only Tetsuya to back her up.

Sebastian listened to Usagi carefully sensing he wasn't being told the whole truth. He wanted to know if there was an impeding vampire civil war in the future, but not at the risk of Usagi getting hurt. "I don't like the sound of this new mission. Maybe you shouldn't go tomorrow."

"Please don't worry. I won't get hurt." Usagi promised her lover. She wished she could hold him in her arms to further reassure him. She knew in her heart that she could accomplish this goal she had set for herself. "I'm asking you to trust me. I can take care of myself." 

"I know you can." Sebastian said calmly. Usagi had come a long way from the first time he met her. While she was strong in her convictions she often seemed to hesitate as if she doubted her abilities. "I can't tell you what to do, but I'm asking you not to go tomorrow. I believe it is too dangerous."

"I respectively disagree." Usagi said holding her ground. "Let's not talk about this anymore." Usagi didn't want to get into a fight with Sebastian. Often she was discouraged from solving her own problems because it was too dangerous. As future leader of the Earth, none of her guardians let fight her own battles. She knew there was no malice in their actions. They loved her and wanted to protect her from harm. They were her guardians after all. The problem now was she was tired of needing protection. She had save the world many times from various type of evil. Yes, her friends had been at her side, but she was the one that ultimately defeated the enemy. The reason Usagi had agreed to help Sebastian in his affairs was so she could grow in her abilities as a fighter. 

Sebastian shook his head. He loved this woman for her strength and independence, but she could be stubborn. For the first time since he knew her she was standing up for herself in the truest sense. Even if the task before her were dangerous he would not dare take away her strength she had just displayed. He respected freedom of choice and Usagi was clearly choosing her path. "Ok. Let's plan our next date then." He said effectively changing the subject.

Usagi relaxed at the change in the conversation. "How about a night full stargazing?" 

End of this Chapter. It's been awhile since I updated, but you get a total for 3 chapters instead of one so I hope it balances out. :)

Thank you all for the reviews. To Bin82501 the poop has officially hit the fan. The guardian senshi are about into enter the vampire world and confront Usagi.

Ladygoddess8- I agree Usagi cares too much for senseless killing. Even when her enemy is trying to destroy her she is always looking for a way to stop the enemy without killing them. Hopefully that quality of Usagi came off better in this chapter.

Loveinthebattlfield- Thank you. I do my best, but unfortunately work tends to get in the way. But I have already started on chapter 19. ;)

Mayonniaise- Thanks. :) I know Mamoru and Usagi are suppose to be married by the end of the manga, but given that she is only 16 I chose to change that. The idea of marriage that young hurts my feminist little mind. :)


	19. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

The next morning Usagi woke up and noticed that Jack had not moved from his position the night before. Standing up she walked over to Jack and gently stroked his back. Jack slowly woke from his slumber as he felt Usagi pet him.

"Thank you Jack." Usagi said and then kissed Jack on the top of his head. "I'm happy I have such a loyal guard dog." Jack's tail wagged at Usagi compliment. "Come on. We have some errands to run." 

Usagi quickly took a shower and changed into jeans and blue pin stripe T-shirt. Before heading out the door Usagi stopped at the kitchen to pick up a protein bar and juice box. Out on the table she noticed an empty bowl and cereal on the table. Usagi looked at the table with puzzlement that bordered on alarm. She did not eat cereal last night and she was sure Tetsuya did not eat last night given that he was vampire. Unable to find an explanation Usagi shook the thought from her mind. On her way out of the kitchen she noticed Jack's bowl was full with dog food.

"Jack you really should eat." Usagi said was she walked to the front door where Jack waited for her. Jack just cocked his head to the side in response. "Fine, but don't whine later and think I'm going to buy you some fresh meat while were out."

Usagi picked up her bag and with Jack next to her she exited her house. She vaguely remembered where the magic shop was, but she knew there would be some wandering involved and that's why she was leaving early. After a 30 minute walk Usagi made it to the bus stop. Reaching into her bag she pulled out what looked like a bib and a collar. Before Jack could run she put both the collar and the bib around Jack's neck. Jack gave Usagi a perturbed look causing Usagi to laugh. 

"Sorry, Jack." She said as she adjusted the bib and attached a leash. "I'm passing you off as a seeing eye dog in training so I can get you on the bus. I promise I will take off the collar when we get to the magic shop."

Next to the bus stop was an elementary school playground filled with kids from summer school. Hotaru was in a middle of a game of hide and seek and had found a perfect hiding place. She had hid in a bush located at the entrance to the school. The hiding place was still within the bounds of the game and provided full coverage. This was Hotaru's first summer with her new family and she was really enjoying it. She had few memories of her past, but she what memories she did have weren't pleasant. She loved her father but after the accident he became so focused on his work that they never went on vacations. What made things worse was that her father, well actually Pharaoh 90, never let her leave the house.

Now that she was reborn she had the chance to have a normal childhood and her family did everything in their power to give her that normalcy. They had signed her up for summer school so she would have structure during the day and give her a chance to play with children her own age. Hotaru was thankful every day for her new life and to the person who gave her this new life. 

Hotaru scanned the playground from her position behind the bush and saw in the distance her friend Miki searching. She smiled at the thought of winning the game because her friend was never going to find her. At that moment she heard a familiar voice from behind her. Over at the bus stop was Usagi with a large Akita. There had been many conversation about Usagi in her household recently. The main theme of those conversations was that Usagi had been widely absent from recent Senshi outings. They had recently gone on picnic with the inner Senshi, but Usagi had been absent. When her Haruka-papa had asked where Usagi was the inner Senshi had no idea.

What Hotaru had failed to mention to her parents was that her nightmares had become a nightly occurrence. Her nightmares had become so frequent that she was no longer waking up in a cold sweat each night. Hotaru had told her parents the first time she had the nightmare that it wasn't dream, but a premonition. When she had made that statement she was upset and wasn't sure it was true. Now that her nightmares were becoming a nightly occurrence with increasingly clarity she was convinced it was the future.

The gentle ringing of a bell echoed through the playground signaling the end of recess. The children in the playground stopped what they were doing and formed a line next to the entrance. Hotaru kept her eyes on Usagi occasionally looking at her classmates across the playground. As her classmates began to file into the building the bus arrived at the bus stop in front of Usagi. The doors to the front and the back of the bus opened letting customers off. Quelling any fears she had left Hotaru ran out from the bush and entered the bus using the back entrance. She quickly walked to the back and sat next to a very large woman obscuring her from Usagi's sight.

Meanwhile at the Hikawa Shrine Rei and Ami sat around Rei's coffee table waiting for Makoto and Minako to arrive for the meeting. Rei looked over to Ami and noticed her pained expression as she looked at copy of Juuban Municipal High School records. Ami had expressed her admiration of Usagi's new academic work ethic to the group at the beginning of the month. She was Usagi's biggest defender when the others began to prod Usagi about her absence from group outings. Rei gave Ami a sympathetic smile, but Ami was too lost in her thoughts to notice.

"Hey guys, what so important that we needed to call an emergency meeting?" Makoto said as she walked into Rei's room with Minako.

"I really hope we don't have a new enemy." Minako whined as she sat down at the table. "I have been enjoying my drama free summer."

"I agree." Makoto said as she joined her friends. "I may even have a romantic fling this summer." Makoto blushed as she finished her comment.

Minako was about to tease Makoto when she noticed that Usagi was absent from the meeting. "Where's Usagi? Don't tell me she's gone back to her tardy ways?"

"She won't be coming to this meeting." Rei said. "The meeting is about Usagi."

Minako and Makoto looked at each other before looking back to their friends.

"Is Usagi ok?" Minako asked.

"I don't think she is in immediate danger, but I'm concerned she may be in trouble." Rei said. "Usagi has not been acting like herself. She has had an increase in her power lately. We know that in the past Usagi's power only increases in the presence of a new enemy.

Makoto and Minako shook there heads in agreement. Usagi's increase in power was concerning given the history of her power progression.

"Usagi has told us that the reason she has not been around is because she was in summer school." Rei continued. "She has been lying to us." Rei looked over to Ami and gave her a nod.

Ami passed Minako and Makoto a copy of Usagi's school records. "She unregistered for summer class the day before she was supposed to start."

Makoto looked at the piece of paper in front of her and her heart sank as she read the evidence. She had just seen Usagi two days ago and Usagi had lied to her face. She then remembered the bruise on Usagi's face. Makoto was now wondering if Usagi had really fallen or was that a lie too.

"What's going on with her?" Minako said in disbelief. "This is not like her to lie to us."

"That's not all." Rei said. "Remember when we went to Haruka's race?" Everyone nodded. "The reason Usagi was at my place early was because she showed up drunk to my house the night before. I'm not talking tipsy. I'm talking falling over drunk."

Ami gasped truly scandalized by this new information. "Why didn't you tell us this on the day if the race?"

Rei looked over to Ami. "I'm sorry. I confronted Usagi about it and she said that she had gone out with some friends at summer school and things got out of hand. She said it would never happen again. I trusted her when she said she would not do it again. Now that I know she has not been to summer school I'm wondering who she is hanging out with."

"Well, whoever she is hanging out with they are bad influences if she is getting drunk with them." Ami crossed her arms getting increasingly angry about Usagi's deception.

"I saw Usagi a few days ago." Makoto decided the group needed to know about her encounter with Usagi. "She was crying and when I asked her what was wrong she said she missed us. I also noticed she had a bruise on her cheek."

Ami's anger quickly resolved when she heard that Usagi had been hurt. "What did she say happened?"

"She said she fell." Makoto said.

Minako watch Rei during Makoto revelation and she sensed Rei was holding something back. "Rei, you have more to tell us right?"

Rei gave Minako a weak smile. She swore the Senshi of love could read her mind. "I have been having dreams about Usagi."

"A new enemy?" Minako asked simply.

"Maybe." Rei responded. "I have this dream that Usagi is running from something. I can't see what she is running from, but I can tell she is scared. I always wake up before I can see what's chasing her."

Minako looked again at the paper before her and then back to her friends. "I think we need to talk to Usagi." 

The group nodded in agreement.

Usagi stood before the magic shop and laughed out loud in relief. She had spent at least an hour walking up and down the streets looking for this place. Jack laid down next to Usagi sighing after he rested his head on his paws. Poor Jack spirited had been broken when he had the leash put on him back at the bus stop. It didn't help that Usagi had dragged him up and down the streets of the Kabukicho district.

Usagi kneeled down next to Jack and removed the leash and bib from around Jack's neck. "There you go Jack." Usagi stood up and walked into the store with Jack close behind her.

Crouched down behind a trashcan Hotaru watched Usagi walk into the store. The store was small located in a back alley far from the main street where most retail stores were located. The window had a large triangle with an eye in the center. Above the triangle was the word Alohomora. Hotaru decided she would wait a few minutes before getting a better look of what was inside.

Usagi walked into the magic store and looked around. The store was one large room lined with shelves. Every shelf had a different theme. Some had books, others had gems and herbs, and one shelf even looked like specimens from science room. 

"Good morning." A lyrical female voice said from behind counter.

Usagi turned around to direction of the voice. Before her stood an impossibly beautiful woman. She couldn't decipher the woman's background other than she looked vaguely European with a middle-eastern twist. Her hair was brown, long, slightly curly, and pulled into a loose half ponytail. The woman was about Haruka's height, lanky, with an earthy aura that emendated from her. Her style matched her aura with a long flowing one-piece lightweight dress. The dress was accented with a leather belt and colorful beaded necklace. 

"Hello." Usagi said with a crack in her voice. "I'm looking for a spray."

"We have many sprays here." The woman said with a smile. "Is there a particular spray you are looking for?"

Usagi looked around nervously making sure no one else was in the store. "I need a spray that protects against vampires."

The woman eyed Usagi for a moment before reaching for some bottles on a shelf located behind the counter. "We have two types of sprays that protect against vampires." She held up the first spray bottle. "This one can repel a vampire by burning them. It has small particles of liquid silver." The woman set down the first spray bottle and held up the second one. "This one will hide your human scent from any vampire in your presence."

"I could use both bottles." Usagi said as she looked at both of them. "What's in the second one?"

The woman placed the two bottles in a paper bag. "It's sweat of a vampire. That will be 2399.10 Yen."

Ew! Usagi thought as heard the special ingredient in the spray. "Oh." Usagi managed to say as she handed the woman the money.

The woman suppressed a smile at Usagi reaction. "Now, we are having a special promotion this week. If you buy something in the store you get a free tarot card reading. I can sense you need some guidance and the cards may illuminate answers you are seeking." 

Usagi looked at the woman and shrugged. "I guess a reading couldn't hurt me."

"Excellent. Follow me into the back."

Michiru sat in a plush chair with her feet in a pedicure tub. The warm water infused with various scented oils gently massaged her feet with the help of high power jets. Next to her was her friend and fellow housemate Setsuna enjoying her own pedicure. Setsuna was currently in her second year of graduate school working on her PhD in Astronomy. After the defeat of Galaxia she had been spending more time in the lab trying to make up for lost time. Michiru had persuaded her to take a long lunch and enjoy a quick mani pedi with her. 

Michiru looked up from her magazine and saw Setsuna reading over undergrads papers occasionally marking the paper with a red pen. "You really should put your work aside and relax. Who knows when the next time you will be able to have a relaxing pedicure." Michiru teased.

Setsuna gave Michiru a weary smile. "I wish I could. I have so many papers to grade and then I have work on my own dissertation after that." 

"So you won't be joining us for dinner tonight?" Michiru asked sympathetically.

Setsuna shook her head. "Nope. It's looking like a long night for me."

"I will leave you a plate in the refrigerator." Michiru said with a wink.

Setsuna smiled at her housemate. After years of living alone at the time gate it was nice to finally have a family.

Michiru's phone began to ring and Michiru set down her magazine and reached into her purse. She glanced at the caller ID and didn't recognize the number. "Moshi, Moshi." Michiru answered.

"Moshi, Moshi. Am I speaking to Ms. Michiru Kaioh?" A man on the other end asked.

"Yes, this is Michiru." Michiru answered.

"My name is Mr. Itou. I am the principal at your daughters school." The man began.

Michiru sat up straight and her heart rate increased. "Is Hotaru ok?" 

"I'm not sure Ms. Kaioh. She did not return from recess and we have been unable to locate her on school grounds." Mr. Itou said.

"What?" Michiru was beyond herself. Thoughts of Hotaru hurt somewhere or worse taken by some yoma ran through her mind.

"One of her classmates saw her leaving the school premises alone. Her classmate believes she got on one of the buses that is located in front of the school. Would you like me to call the police?" Mr. Itou asked.

"No thank you." Michiru said quickly. "We will look for her. If we can't find her within a few hours we will call the police. Thank you."

"You're welcome. Again I'm sorry. If you need help with anything please don't hesitate to call me back."

"I will remember that. Thank you again." Michiru ended the call and then began to look up bus routes next to Hotaru's school on her phone.

Setsuna had listened to Michiru's side of the conversation trying to decipher what was going on with Hotaru. "What's wrong with Hotaru?" Setsuna asked eager to hear the answer.

Not looking up from her phone Michiru answer Setsuna question. "Hotaru left school during recess today and they don't know where she went. A classmate believes she may have taken the bus that is located outside of the school. I'm looking up the bus route now."

Setsuna put her papers away and grabbed her purse. "I will pay for the pedicures."

Michiru found the route of the bus and saved it on her phone. She remembered a month ago Hotaru asked for a cell phone, but everyone had agreed she was too young for one. She now wished she had said yes. With all the technology out there she could easily find Hotaru if she had a cell phone.

Hotaru slowly crept into the magic store paying particular attention to the door to make sure she entered the shop in silence. Inside she could not see Usagi, but she heard voices coming from a back room. Walking towards the direction of the voices, Hotaru stopped when she was behind the counter and crouched next to the wall. In front of her was a doorway closed off by a curtain. On the other side of the curtain she could hear Usagi and another woman. She had to strain to hear, but this was as close as she could get without being detected.

Inside the back room Usagi sat at a table covered in a red cloth. Across from her the woman sat down and laid a deck of cards on the table.

"My name is Lyanka. I own this store and I provide various mystical services including tarot card readings. Have you ever had a tarot card reading?" Lyanka asked as she passed Usagi the deck.

"No." Usagi picked up the deck.

"Think of a question you wish to have answered and shuffle the deck." Lyanka instructed Usagi.

Usagi picked up the deck and thought for a moment. The question that Usagi was struggling with the most at this point was whether she was on the right path. Since Mamoru had left she had been thrust into this new world. She had seen this new journey as a means to find inner strength and reevaluate her destiny. Now she wonder if she was going about it the right way. She had been lying to her friends all in an attempt to prove her independence and find herself again. With that question in her mind she shuffled the deck and handed the deck back to Lyanka.

Lyanka laid out 10 tarot cards in a Celtic spread. Once she had finished dealing out the cards she tuned her attention back to Usagi. "Are you ready?"

Usagi nodded anxious to see what the cards would say about her current path she had chosen.

Lyanka turned over the first card showing an elderly man in a cloak holding a staff in one hand and a lantern in the other. "The first card represents your current situation. This is the hermit. The hermit looks inward to find answers to difficult questions. It seems you have a deep desire to understand yourself and your purpose in life. You have set out on a journey of self discovery."

Usagi looked at Lyanka shocked at how she was able to accurately interpret her recent outlook on life.

Lyanka watched Usagi and judging by her reaction her first reading was right. Lyanka turned over the second card crossing it over the first card. The second card revealed a naked female and male with an angel looking over the two. "Now, the second card represents current opposing forces. The lovers can represent many things, but I sense that you have a new love in your life. I'm not talking about a fling, but a strong sexual and deeply passionate relationship. You are surprised by this new love because of how fulfilling it is in such a short time. Am I right?"

"Yes." Usagi said just above a whisper. "It's all happened so fast. I crave his presence, his touch, and his breath. When he's not around I feel a void and hollowness. It's weird because I haven't really felt something this intense before. On the one hand I never felt so strong or independent, but at the same time I've never felt so weak when it comes to my desires to be with him."

"That's what this card represents." Lyanka reassured Usagi. "You have a desire to find yourself by looking inward and fighting your own battles, but at the same time you want to loose yourself completely in this new love. You can learn to balance these two desires."

Lyanka turned over the third car that was to the right of the first two cards revealing a man with a beard and robe sitting on a thrown. "The third card represents influence of the distant past. This is the Emperor and it is reversed in your case. This means that something in your past is restraining you. Some authority is preventing you from choosing your own path."

Being the reincarnated moon aristocrat that is destined to save the earth from destruction and then become the sole ruler could be seen as restraining Usagi thought. Especially, when she is supposed to marry the reincarnated Endymion who now questions his destiny. "Yeah, that sounds right." Usagi said in a defeated tone.

Lyanka was starting to feel sorry for Usagi. Her tarot card reading was rapidly turning dark in its outlook of her new journey. Lyanka turned over the fourth card revealing a man lying on his stomach with ten swords sticking out of his back. "The fourth card represents what is influencing you from the recent past. This is the Ten of Swords. Someone close to you that has betrayed you. This betrayal could be why you're on this new journey." 

Usagi reacted to Lyanka interpretation as if she had stabbed in her heart with a knife. Tears began to fill her eyes and she struggled to hold herself together. "There was an old flame." Usagi began as her breath caught as she spoke. "We were destined to be together. Or so I thought. I gave him everything and he just left. Like the last two years meant nothing." By the time she finished tears were running down her face and she was softly crying.

Lyanka handed Usagi a box of tissues. "Do you want to continue?"

Usagi took the tissues from Lyanka and nodded. "Yes. Please."

After receiving permission to continue Lyanka turned over the fifth card, which revealed a large tower. "The fifth card represents the best possible outcome for the current journey you are on. The Tower card tells me you're in the mist of great turmoil and change, but there is a silver lining. This turmoil is needed for you to grow and in the end you will get through it stronger."

Usagi had stop crying and was listening intently to what Lyanka was saying. The fifth card reading gave her hope that things will turn out for the better.

Lyanka flipped the sixth card relieving a devil. "This sixth card represents upcoming circumstance that you will have to face. It seems you will have some internal obstacles ahead of you. Maybe it represents your reckless behavior or deceitfulness. This card is hard for me to read. There's a block that I can't seem to get past." 

Usagi thought of what obstacles the devil could represent in her life. "Could it represent vampires?"

Lyanka shook her head. "I don't think so. It usually represent something within you that will cause you harm." Lyanka flipped the seventh card to reveal the five of swords. "The seventh card represents how you feel about your current path. The five of swords tells me you are extremely conflicted. I sense it has to do with friends in your life. Am I right?"

Usagi was officially creeped out by Lyanka. She had agreed to do this tarot card reading because she thought it would be a fun distraction, but everything Lyanka was saying was spot on. It was like she was looking into her soul and reading her deepest fears, desires, and hopes. How was she doing this? "Are you an oracle?

Lyanka gave a sly smile before answering. "Some would say I am. I believe I have a gift to read people, but I'm not sure if I have the gift of precognition."

A part of Usagi wanted to run away at that moment, yet the other part wanted to finish the reading because she was curious to how it would end. "I am conflicted. I have been doing things I know my friends would not approve of and I don't want to lie to them anymore. I just don't know how to begin to tell them."

Lyanka flipped over the eighth card to reveal the fool. "You're right to be conflicted about telling your friends because they will think you are acting foolishly. The eight card represents what others think of your choices and the fool reversed means they believe you're being reckless."

Usagi heart sank at this new revelation. She knew her friends would not approve of the choice she was making and maybe that is why she was putting off telling her friends.

Keeping her eye on Usagi Lyanka turned over the ninth card revealing the three of clubs. "I see you desire harmony between this path and your friends. " Lyanka said as she pointed to the card. "Maybe it's time you stopped stalling and just confide in your friends. True friends will always be by your side even when you make mistakes. Trust the bonds of you with them."

Usagi smiled and nodded at Lyanka. She was right. Her friends may be angry or frustrated with her choices, but she knew they would never leave her. They had been through so much together and this would not destroy their friendship.

"There is one more card left." Lyanka said as she traced the edge of the tenth card. "This card represents the most likely outcome of the path you are on."

Jack had been at Usagi feet through the entire reading listening to everything Lyanka was saying. He wasn't sure if this reading had any bearing on reality, but it seemed that Usagi believed it. Jack never trusted fortunetellers as most of them were con artist. While listening to the meaning of the ninth card Jack caught the scent of someone sitting just outside the doorway. Standing up he walked over to the doorway to investigate.

On the other side Hotaru was getting frustrated. She could only hear bits and pieces of the conversation on the other side and it wasn't making sense. From what Hotaru did hear Usagi was on a new journey and she was scared about everyone finding out. It wasn't much to go on.

Lyanka turned the final card over and immediately was stunned into silence. Usagi stood up knocking the chair over with a loud bang. She covered her mouth with her hand trying to hide her surprise. "This can't be true. You're wrong." 

The tenth card looked ominous with its depiction of a human skeleton holding a scythe. "It doesn't always mean literal death." Lyanka managed to say doing her best to console Usagi.

Usagi was unmoved by her words of comfort and turned around to leave the store.

On the other side of the doorway Hotaru had heard the sound of the chair falling to the floor so she leaned in closer to hear what they were saying. As she heard the word death a large Akita came from behind the curtain startling Hotaru causing to fall backwards. Hotaru was concerned the dog would attack her so she covered her face with her arms.

Usagi walked out from behind the curtains to see Hotaru sitting on the floor with her arms covering her face. "Hotaru! What are you doing here?"

Hotaru removed her arms from her face and saw that the Akita was sitting next to Usagi. Hotaru had not planned on being seen by Usagi so she had no cover story prepared. She deiced honesty would be the best option in this situation. "Uh, snooping?" Hotaru gave a sheepish grin hoping Usagi would not be angry.

Usagi sighed and helped Hotaru to her feet. "I see that. Well, we need to go it's no safe here." Usagi picked up her purchases from the counter and then grabbed Hotaru's hand. She was at the front door with Hotaru and Jack in tow when Lyanka yelled at her.

"Please be careful." Lyanka seemed truly concerned for Usagi's welling being. "The decisions you make these next few days will decide your path in life and in death. Choose carefully."

Hotaru looked up at Usagi waiting for her to reply. Usagi said nothing and quickly walked out the door gently pulling Hotaru with her.

Once outside Usagi started to do damage control. She wasn't sure how much Hotaru had heard. "Hotaru, why did you follow me?"

Hotaru looked down afraid to answer Usagi's question.

Usagi waited for Hotaru to answer, but after a few minutes she realized Hotaru would need a little more coaxing to talk. Usagi stopped walking and kneeled down so she was face to face with Hotaru. "I'm not angry with you. I'm grateful you're not hurt because you could have been hurt following me by yourself. Please tell me why you followed me."

Hotaru looked into Usagi eyes and saw a motherly kindness. She felt safe with Usagi and she wondered if she felt that way because Usagi had saved her Pharaoh 90. It seemed that event had somehow connected them on a deeper level. "I wanted to know if you were ok." Hotaru finally said.

"Why wouldn't I be ok?" Usagi asked as she gave Hotaru a reassuring squeeze with hand.

"Everyone has been worried about you." Hotaru said as she looked down at the ground. "They think you are in trouble so when I saw you at the bus stop I followed you."

Hotaru explanation put in to perspective the turmoil she was causing within her group. "I'm ok Hotaru. I'm sorry I caused you guys to worry so much. I promise I will explain everything soon ok?"

Hotaru looked up and made eye contact with Usagi. "Promise?"

"Yes." Usagi said with a smile as she stood up. "Now, let's get you home. I'm sure your parents are very worried."

"How sweet." A male voice said from the end of the alleyway. "That truly brought a tear to my eye."

Jack began to growl as he positioned himself between Usagi and the male. Usagi recognized the man as Hideyoshi one of the Lost Boys from the other night.

Usagi looked behind her to the exit of the alley only to see two other males blocking the exit. She looked down at Hotaru and saw her confused expression. How she wished Hotaru were not here right now.

"We are leaving. There's no reason to start trouble." Usagi said hoping to defuse the tense situation.

"Oh, but you're wrong." Hideyoshi said with a sinister laugh. "You're a Tokyo Slayer and I can't let you leave unharmed. I believe it's an official edict I sent out to my followers yesterday. "

Usagi pulled Hotaru close to her and slowly walked her to one of the building walls. She gently pushed Hotaru so she was up against the wall and stood in front of her. "Hotaru, things are going to get a little scary, but when I tell you to run, run. Ok?"

Hotaru gulped. "OK."

Hideyoshi accelerated towards Usagi throwing a punch at her face. Usagi dodge the punch and in turn punched Hideyoshi in the jaw sending him stumbling backwards. At the same time the two lost boys from the alley entranced rushed to their leaders defense. Jack tackled one of the boys biting one of his arms. Once Jack had a tight hold he began to drag the boy away from Usagi. The boy screamed out in pain desperately trying to free himself from Jack's jaws.

The second boy stopped his advancement towards Usagi when he heard his friend screams. Usagi used this distraction to her advantage and grabbed a trashcan lid throwing it at the boy hitting him square in the nose. The boy went down holding his nose blinded by his tears that resulted from the blow.

The sound of Hotaru screaming returned Usagi attention to Hideyoshi. Hideyoshi had pushed Hotaru to the ground and then as Usagi watched used his foot to pin Hotaru face down on the ground.

"Call the dog off or I hurt the girl." Hideyoshi yelled pressing down on Hotaru to punctuate his point.

Hotaru cried out and Usagi yelled behind her. "Stop Jack! Come here." Jack released his victim and joined Usagi ready to pounce again at her command. "Now let her go." Usagi commanded.

The two boys walked up behind Usagi waiting for their leader to give them a command to attack.

Hideyoshi malicious laugh echoed through the alleyway. "I will let her go only if you agree to go with us. You will be an excellent bargaining chip in territory negotiations."

Usagi squirmed as she tried to think of a way out of this situation. Directly behind Hideyoshi she saw a door. She wasn't sure what was behind the door, but she would have to take the gamble. Usagi closed her eyes and concentrated on building up energy within her. When she felt the warmth in her hands she spun around release two balls of energy at the boys behind her. The energy balls hit the boys in the stomach sending them flying backwards. Hideyoshi looked on with horror and surprise, but before he could react he was hit by energy ball sending him flying backwards.

Usagi ran forward and picked Hotaru off the ground and held her in her arms. Behind her the two men were starting to slowly get up. Usagi had intentionally used a lower energy to stun her enemies. Now she thinking maybe she didn't use enough energy because they recovered faster than she had anticipated. Hideyoshi was also starting to stir and Usagi knew she had very little time to get Hotaru out of this situation.

Running to the door with Hotaru in her arms she whistled for Jack to follow. Once she reached the door Usagi put Hotaru down and tried to open the door. The door was locked and Usagi cursed under her breath. Usagi again created energy ball in her hand and released it at the door. The door flew open and Usagi pushed Hotaru through. As Usagi ran through the door she noticed she was in a stairway. Before her was another door with a window in the center. Usagi looked glanced through the door window and saw a large warehouse filled with industrial machinery and workers. She may be able to get through to the front, but one of the workers inside could get hurt in her attempt to escape. Usagi didn't want to get innocent people hurt. I guess we're going up the stairs Usagi thought.

At that moment Hideyoshi put Usagi into a choked hold from behind. "Jack, get Hotaru up to the roof." Usagi commanded as she elbowed Hideyoshi in the stomach breaking her from the chokehold.

Jack took his cue and crawled under Hotaru. When he stood up Hotaru was securely on his back. Hotaru was first startled when the Akita went under her and stood up, but once she was on his back she held on tight to his collar. Jack took off running up the stairs once he felt Hotaru grab onto his collar. 

Usagi followed behind Jack, but fell on the stairs when Hideyoshi grabbed her foot. Hideyoshi pulled Usagi down the stairs by her foot and then grabbed her by the throat. He used his body to pin Usagi down and squeezed her throat. "What are you?" Hideyoshi whispered into her ear.

"None of your business." Usagi forced through her constricted airway. A crescent moon began to glow on Usagi's forehead and before Hideyoshi could react he was thrown back into his two friends by an energy beam.

Usagi got up quickly, made sure she still had her bag from the magic shop, and ran up the stairs as fast as she could. When she made it to the roof access Hotaru and Jack were waiting. Usagi open the door to the roof and then lifted Hotaru off of Jack's back. Once everyone was on the roof Usagi placed Hotaru down and shut the door. To her right was a rope and she used it to secure the door shut. It would not hold the door shut for long if force were applied, but she hoped it would give her enough time to find a way off the roof.

Usagi ran to the edge of the roof and saw below her another building that was 10 feet below and connected to the building she was on. "Come here Hotaru."

Hotaru ran over to Usagi's side. "Who are those guys Usagi-san? And why did they call you a Tokyo Slayer?" 

"Not now Hotaru." Usagi said as she pulled Hotaru close to her. "Ok, I'm going to lower you down to the next roof top. It's not too far down so I will dangle you over trying to get you as close as possible. When you land remember to roll forward with the momentum so you don't hurt yourself."

Hotaru looked over the edge and then back Usagi. "I don't know Usagi-san. It looks like a big jump."

Usagi looked over at the door and then back at Hotaru. "Hotaru, we don't have time for this. I know you're scared, but if we don't get off this roof we could be seriously hurt." Usagi placed the bag from the magic shop into her pants and then held out her hand waiting for Hotaru's decision.

Hotaru looked over the edge and back at Usagi. She was scared, but Usagi was right. She had been in worse predicaments before and always survived in the end. Hotaru hand trembled as she took Usagi hand. 

Usagi smiled at Hotaru and gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. She helped Hotaru on to the edge and grabbed on tightly to both her wrist. Usagi slowly lowered Hotaru down as far as she could without loosing her balance. "Ok, on the count of three I'm going to let go." Usagi said to Hotaru who nodded back. "One, two, three." Usagi let go and prayed Hotaru would land safely.

Hotaru dropped to the next roof remembering to roll with momentum. Standing up Hotaru felt no immediate pain and concluded she had not been injured by the fall. "I'm ok." Hotaru yelled back up to Usagi.

"Good." Usagi said with relief. Usagi climbed onto the edge and looked at Jack. "Jack, I need." Before she could finish her sentence Jack had jumped on the ledge and then down to the neighboring roof. "Ok, you don't need my help I see." Usagi said to herself.

As she held onto the ledge and began to lower herself down she heard the sound of someone trying to break through the door. It was only a matter of time before Hideyoshi and his gang members broke through that door. Usagi lowered herself down as far as she could, but lost her grip and fell before she was ready. Usagi landed on her right foot twisting it as she fell to the ground.

"Are you ok Usagi-san?" Hotaru asked as she ran to Usagi's side kneeling next to her. 

Usagi flipped over on to her hands and knees. "I'm ok Hotaru." Usagi lied as she felt the sharp pain in her right ankle. Usagi tried to get up and almost fell over again when she tried to put weight on her right foot.

Hotaru helped steady Usagi preventing her from falling over. "Usagi-san you're hurt." 

"I'm ok." Usagi reassured Hotaru as she balanced herself on her left foot. Looking around she found the roof access door, but it had a large metal red box over the knob. "Damn it." Usagi cursed loudly.

"What?" Hotaru asked.

"The door has and emergency alarm connected to it. If we go through that door the alarm will go off alerting the police." Usagi answered. Jack barked from across the roof causing Usagi to turn her attention towards him. Jack was on his hind legs with his front paws on the ledge looking over the edge of the roof. "Looks, like Jack found a way out."

Usagi limped over to Jack with the help of Hotaru. She looked over the edge and saw a twenty-foot drop with a large industrial trashcan below. "Are you crazy?" Usagi yelled at Jack who responded with a growl.

Usagi looked down again and saw that the trashcan was filled with a mixture of foam padding, cardboard boxes, and trash bags. That could provide enough cushioning to break her fall she thought. The sound of her enemies breaking through the door gave her little choice in the matter. She would have to take the chance.

"Hotaru, do you trust me?" Usagi asked as she turned around.

"Yes. You're the princess. I would trust you with my life." Hotaru said without pause.

"Good." Usagi said with a smile. Without further explanation Usagi picked up Hotaru, held her tight to her body, and jumped on the ledge. She placed most of the weight on her good foot and ignored the pain in her right. Usagi took a deep breath and then leaped forward off the edge aiming for the trashcan bellow. Hotaru screamed as they fell the twenty feet bellow. The landing was softer than Usagi had anticipated, but it wasn't like landing on pillows. She felt immediate pain in her right leg again. Usagi assumed she had aggravated her already hurt ankle. The sound of something landing next to her made Usagi smiled, as she knew it was a Jack landing safely next to her. She really did love this dog. He seemed to know what she was going to do even before she acted.

Usagi felt Hotaru squeeze her tight and cry softly into her chest. "It's ok Hotaru. We're safe now." Usagi looked down to Hotaru who looked up to her with tears in her eyes. Usagi gave Hotaru a big squeeze and kissed the top of her head. "I'm sorry I put you in that situation. I'm sure you have many questions and I promise I will explain everything in time, but I need your help Hotaru."

Hotaru nodded prepared to do whatever her princess asked her.

Usagi paused for a moment afraid to ask Hotaru her favor. "I need you not to tell anyone what happened here today. I will be having a meeting soon and I want to tell everyone myself. Can you promise not to tell anyone anything until that meeting?"

Hotaru's eyes grew wide and she shook her head no. "I can't lie to my Haruka-papa, Michiru-mama, or Setsuna-mama. I would get into trouble." 

A wave of guilt passed through Usagi. She shouldn't be betraying Hotaru's trust like this, but she needed more time. She was so close to finding out what was going down in the vampire world. One more night was all she needed. "I'm not asking you to lie. Just don't bring it up." Usagi waited patiently for the clearly conflicted Hotaru to answer. 

"Ok." Hotaru whispered unable to make eye contact with Usagi. 

"Usagi, is that you?" A female voice asked from the other side of the trashcan. 

The voice sounded liker her friend Yuki. "Yuki?"

"Yes." Yuki responded.

"Is that Usagi?" Nobu asked.

"Yes." Yuki said clearly closer than before. "Lift me up." With in a few seconds Yuki was peering over the trashcan and down at Usagi. "Usagi, why are you jumping off buildings into trashcans? Is your life not dangerous enough?" Yuki winked and smiled at Usagi.

"Ha ha. Just help me and my friend out of here." Usagi responded as she gently lifted Hotaru up towards the top of the trashcan. 

Yuki laughed as she pulled her self up so she could swing one leg over and straddle the trashcan edge. Once she was straddling the edge she held out her hand to Hotaru. Hotaru didn't hesitate and grabbed Yuki's hand. Yuki helped Hotaru up and on to the edge of trashcan and then over the edge where Nobu helped her down to the ground. 

Jack was next jumping up to the edge and with a little help from Yuki jumped to the ground below.

Usagi tried to stand up on her own but fell back down into the garbage when she tried to put weight on her right leg. 

"Stay down." Yuki said as she swung her other leg over and jump into the trashcan. "You're obviously hurt. What happened?" Yuki asked as she knelt down next to Usagi.

"I bought some stuff at a magic store when I was attacked by Lost Boys gang members." Usagi said as she checked to make sure she still had the bottles she had bought from Lyanka. To her relief she still had both bottles. 

"You went to Lyanka's store?" Yuki asked nonchalantly as she examined Usagi's right leg.

"Yes. How do you know about that store?" Usagi winced when Yuki touched her right leg.

"Lyanka's magic store is the only legitimate magic store in this area. The rest are just tourist traps." Yuki clucked her tongue and shook her head at Usagi. "Usagi you have a large piece of glass in your right calf. On top of that your right ankle is supper swollen."

Usagi sat up and looked down at her right leg. Yuki was right there was a large piece of glass in her right calf. There must have been a glass bottle in the trashcan that she landed on. "Shit." Usagi cursed.

"You guys need help?" Nobu said from the other side of the trashcan wondering what was taking so long. 

"No." Yuki yelled over the edge. "We'll be over in a second." Yuki moved closer to Usagi and threw Usagi's arm over her shoulders. Yuki acted as Usagi's crutch helping her stand on her good leg Once Usagi was standing Yuki helped her to the trashcan edge and slowly pushed her up. Usagi straddled the trashcan edge waiting for Yuki to join her. After Yuki was on the trashcan edge she lowered herself down with the help of Yuki into Nobu's arms.

Yuki jumped down from the trashcan with ease. "She has a piece of glass in her leg." Yuki informed Nobu while pointing to Usagi leg. 

"Well, That's not good." Nobu responded as he held Usagi close to him.

"Sit her down." Yuki said as she retrieved her bag from a few feet away. "I'll get the glass out."

Nobu gently sat Usagi down on the ground and then kneeled next to her. "Looks like you're having a bad day." 

Usagi gave Nobu a weak smile. "Yeah. It's full of surprises." Hotaru sat down next to her and rest her head on Usagi's shoulder in an attempt to comfort her. Usagi appreciated the gesture and rubbed Hotaru's head as a thank you.

Yuki sat next to Usagi right leg as she rummaged through her bag. She pulled out a pocketknife, some gauze, and an ace wrap.

"Yuki, what else do you have in that bag?" Usagi laughed as she watched Yuki pull supplies from her bag. She was convinced Yuki bag was a miniature pharmacy.

Yuki gave Usagi a mischievous smile. "Wouldn't you like to know." Yuki used the pocketknife to cut away the fabric of Usagi's pants exposing her skin and the piece of glass. Holding on to the glass piece she looked up at Usagi. "This is going to hurt."

"Just do it." Usagi said as she tried to prepare herself. The pain was intense as Yuki pulled the piece of glass from Usagi's calf. Usagi grunted and bit her lip trying to distract herself from the pain.

Yuki quickly applied pressure to Usagi's now bleeding wound. After holding it there for five minutes she proceeded to apply a pressure dressing. "Ok. That should hold for now. Let's get you home."

"Thank you." Usagi said as Nobu and Yuki helped her to her feet. Nobu and Yuki provided Usagi with the needed support to walk on her injured leg. The entire group exited the alleyway and found a bench on the main street to sit Usagi down on. Hotaru sat next to Usagi waiting to see how they would get home.

"I think we should just call a cab. It just would be easier than carrying you to the bus stop and then to your house." Nobu said as he pulled out his cell phone.

"I think that would be best." Usagi agreed. 

"Hotaru Tomoe!" Setsuna yelled in anger as she walked up to the group. Michiru was behind her equally angry. "Have you lost your mind?" She said with her hands on her hips.

Hotaru cowered next to Usagi afraid to answer. She clearly hadn't thought through all the consequences when she followed Usagi.

"We have been so worried about you." Michiru's voice was calmer, but still very angry. "We didn't know if you were taken." 

"Or dead." Setsuna interrupted Michiru. "You can't leave school when you please." 

"Where have you been?" Michiru demanded an explanation from her daughter. 

Even though Michiru and Setsuna were chastising Hotaru the entire group cowered looking guilty about their perceived transgressions. 

Hotaru thought furiously about what she wanted to say. It was embarrassing enough to be scolded in public, but after promising Usagi not to say anything she wasn't sure how to respond. 

"She decided to spend the day with me." Usagi said attempting to save Hotaru. 

Michiru and Setsuna looked as if they would explode with aggravation.

"I will take her home." Michiru said in an irritated tone to Setsuna. "You should get back to work since you were supposed to be back over an hour ago."

"Thanks." Setsuna said before turning her attention back to Hotaru. "We're not done talking about this. We will talk about this when I get home."

Hotaru felt her stomach begin to summersault inside her after hearing Setsuna threat. She was definitely in big trouble.

Michiru watched Setsuna leave before turning back to Hotaru. "Come on. Let's go home." She said as she motioned with her head for Hotaru to follow. Michiru caught the sight of Usagi's blood stained bandaged leg in her peripheral vision. "Usagi-chan, what happened to your leg?"

Usagi quickly looked down and noticed that she was bleeding through the bandage. "Oh, I tripped and cut my leg. It's not that bad."

"Do you need to go to the hospital?" Michiru asked as she walked over to Usagi and leaned down to get a closer look. 

"No." Usagi responded while waving her hands. "I just need to get home to clean it better. I swear it's not that bad." 

Michiru looked at Usagi suspiciously, but trusted Usagi. "Alright, I will take you home." 

"Thank you. Can you take my friends Yuki and Nobu with me?" Usagi pointed to Yuki and Nobu who were standing next to her.

Michiru looked at Yuki and Nobu who both gave her a goofy grin. Michiru shook her head in defeat. "Sure. My car is parked on the next street."

Yuki and Nobu help Usagi to her feet and flanked her. Usagi limped forward using Yuki and Nobu as crutches.

Michiru watched Usagi use Yuki and Nobu to help her walk. "Usagi-chan, you need to go to the hospital. You can't even walk."

The concern in Michiru's voice was evident and Usagi felt guilty. If she didn't have vampire blood at home then yes she would need to go to a hospital to see a doctor. "I just twisted my ankle when I fell. It will heal once I stay off of it."

Michiru realized she was not going to win this fight because Usagi was being too stubborn right now. "Fine, but I want you to keep that foot elevated, iced, and wrapped. No walking on it. I will come by later tonight to check on you." 

Usagi was about to argue, but was quickly silenced by Michiru giving her a stern look. Michiru was kind, polite, and reserved in her personality. It was only recently Usagi had developed a close bond with her. She was like an older sister always looking out for her. Even though Michiru was calm and sweet she could be firm and tough when she needed to so Usagi thought it best not to argue with her.

The card ride home was in silence for most of the trip. Hotaru sat in the back afraid to say anything fearing Michiru would yell at her again. Yuki and Nobu sat next to Hotaru in the back seat also looking like disobedient children who had been caught.

Michiru broke the silence as she glanced at Usagi who appeared to be in deep in thought. "I thought you were supposed to be in school today?"

Damn it Usagi thought. She was about to be caught if she didn't come up with a cover story fast. "We got the day off. So my classmates and I went window shopping." It was a lame lie, but it was good enough to wave off immediate suspicion.

Michiru glanced in her rearview mirror at Yuki and Nobu who again gave her a goofy grin. Every time they smiled at her she was sure they were up to something and it wasn't good. Glancing at Usagi she tried to decipher if Usagi was being truthful. Usagi had never lied to her before so she had no reason to doubt her now. "Why did you choose that area? It's kind of a rough neighborhood."

"We wanted an adventure." Usagi responded sheepishly.

Michiru shook her head at Usagi's response. Her princess was always getting herself into trouble. That's why she affectionately called Usagi her little troublemaker. "It looks like you got one. Please, don't go there again. I don't want you to get hurt."

Michiru pulled up to Usagi's house. Usagi thanked Michiru for driving her as Yuki and Nobu helped her from the vehicle. Once inside Nobu and Yuki dropped Usagi on the couch. Jack sat at Usagi feet sniffing her injured leg as Usagi sat down. Usagi stroked Jack's head reassuring her guardian.

Nobu looked around the room and noticed how dark it was because every curtain in the house was closed. "Are you becoming a vampire now?"

Usagi smiled at Nobu's pointed comment. "No, I'm not turning into a vampire."

Before Usagi could further explain Tetsuya called from upstairs. "Usagi, did you get the spray?"

Usagi had totally forgotten about the special spray she had purchased. Reaching in her pants she pulled out the bottles.

Yuki gave Usagi a bemused looked. "Why did you put that there?"

"It's the only way to hold on to it when you're jumping off a building." Usagi said jokingly.

At that moment Tetsuya walked down the stairs and was startled a little when he saw that Usagi was not alone. "Hey, how did the shopping trip go?"

"It was successful." Usagi replied turning her attention to Tetsuya. "Yuki. Nobu. This is Tetsuya. He's a vampire. Hence the dungeon feel of the room." 

Tetsuya shifted uncomfortably at being outed as vampire. Usagi noticed Tetsuya body language and gave him an apologetic look. 

Nobu held out his hand and smiled at Tetsuya. "Nice to meet you."

Tetsuya took Nobu's hand relieved that he was not disgusted by the fact he was a vampire. "You too."

"So what does this spray do?" Yuki asked holding one bottle in each hand.

Usagi pointed to the first one, "This one is like mace for vampires. It contains liquid silver." Usagi then pointed to the second bottle, "This spray hides human scent from vampires."

Yuki's interested peaked when she heard what the second spray did. "What are you planning?" She asked suspiciously. 

"A little recon mission." Usagi said as she took the bottles from Yuki.

Yuki stared at Usagi and sensed she was holding something back. "I'm guessing this recon mission is dangerous?"

"That would be an accurate assessment of the situation." Tetsuya said as she crossed his arms and rolled his eyes. 

"What's involved in this recon mission?" Nobu asked afraid of the answer he would get.

Her friend's questions were increasingly irritating Usagi. She was running out of time to find the vampires she was hunting. Her fellow Senshi were catching on to her recent activities and it would be only matter of time before she would have face their inquires. To make matters worse now Yuki and Nobu were trying to stonewall her. Oh, and the tarot card reading didn't help either. "Guys, I'm going to be honest with you right now. This is going to be a dangerous mission, but it has to be done. I have been searching for this vampire for almost a month now. I can't go to into the details of the mission, but I can take care of myself and I will be fine."

Yuki grabbed a hold of Usagi's hand and squeezed tight. Concern was evident on her face. "You can't know that. You're human. There is no way you can take on vampire a lone." 

Usagi was thankful for Yuki and Nobu as it was obvious that they cared for her, but she knew what she was doing. "I may be human, but I'm no ordinary human." Usagi held her fist out for everyone to see. As they watched she opened her hand producing an energy ball. Yuki and Nobu looked at the energy ball with surprise.

"How are you doing this?" Nobu asked mesmerized by the energy ball Usagi produced.

Usagi extinguished the energy ball by closing her hand into a fist. "It's a long story and I don't have the time to explain now. I need to take some vampire blood and rest so I can be fully healed by the time I go out tonight."

Tetsuya hadn't realized Usagi was hurt and as he approached he noticed Usagi right leg was wrapped in a bloody bandage.

Yuki nodded as she started to reach in her bag. " I expect a full disclosure tomorrow." Yuki scolded as she pulled out gauze and another ace bandage. "Do you need some vampire blood from by stock?" 

Usagi shook her head. "No, thank you. I have my own stash. Nobu, can you please go into the refrigerator and get the sliver flask?"

Nobu nodded and went into the kitchen. He returned with a sliver flask and handed it to Usagi. Usagi took the flask and opened the top taking two drops of blood. Unwrapping her bandage she applied a thin film of blood on her open wound and then rewrapped it with a clean bandage. After closing the flask tight she placed it on the coffee table.

"I'm going to rest now." Usagi said as she laid down on the couch. "Thank you for helping me guys." 

Yuki stood up and helped Usagi position herself. "Ok. Please be safe tonight. And call me in the morning?"

Usagi nodded as she started to drift off into sleep. Yuki walked over to Nobu and took his hand. "Let's go." She whispered.

Nobu began to follow Yuki, but stopped and looked at Tetsuya. "Please, take care of her. I don't think she comprehends what she is getting herself into."

Tetsuya saw the apprehension in Nobu's eye. He could tell Nobu wanted to stop Usagi from going tonight, but knew he was helpless against Usagi's will. "I will protect her with my life. That I promise you." Even though Tetsuya had only met Usagi yesterday he knew the words he just spoke were genuine. Nobu nodded leaving Usagi's residence with Yuki by his side.


	20. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

Michiru pulled up the driveway and parked the car before she looked at Hotaru through the rearview mirror. Hotaru had remained silent through the entire car ride home with an occasional nervous fidgeting breaking the silence. Michiru anger had subsided to a manageable level by the end of the car ride and she felt she could handle confronting Hotaru on her uncharacteristic behavior.

Michiru exited her car and walked to the rear passenger door and open it. "Come out please." Michiru said calmly. 

Hotaru slowly unbuckled her seatbelt and slid out of the car. She kept her back to the car and side stepped towards the trunk.

Michiru suppressed a smile as she shut the door. She held her hand out to Hotaru and waited for her daughter to take her hand. 

Hotaru looked up at her mother hesitantly looking for anger or disappointment. Instead she saw a warm empathic energy emanating from her eyes. Without further coaxing Hotaru took her mother's hand. 

Michiru guide Hotaru into the house and to the kitchen. At the center of the room was island kitchen counter surrounded by tall barstools. Michiru picked up Hotaru and sat her in one of the chairs and then went to coffee machine. "Are we ready to talk now?" Michiru asked as she turned on the coffee machine.

Hotaru didn't speak and just gave a restrained nod.

Michiru return to her daughter side and leaned closer to her. "Why did you leave school today?" 

Hotaru remembered her promise to Usagi and she planned to keep that promise. She would provide as much information she could without betraying Usagi. "I saw Usagi-san at the bus stop. Everyone has been so worried about her I thought I would follow her to make sure she was ok. I am one of her guardians." 

Michiru grabbed her daughter's hand and squeezed it in understanding. "It must be hard being so young and yet have such an enormous responsibility. We would prefer you get to be kid and not have to worry about fighting evil. This does not excuse your behavior today. You didn't even have your transformation pen with you. What would have happened if you were attacked by a yoma?" 

Hotaru ponder her mother's question and realized she had not planned that far ahead. "I didn't think about that." Hotaru sheepishly admitted.

"I know." Michiru let go of Hotaru's hand and walked over the coffee machine. "I'm afraid I have no choice but to punish you." Michiru poured herself a cup of coffee and then walked back over to Hotaru. "You're grounded for the week. That means no leaving your room except to go to the bathroom or to eat with the family. No TV or internet."

"That's not fair. I have a friends birthday party this weekend." Hotaru objected. 

Michiru put down her coffee cup and held up her index finger to Hotaru. "Don't test me young lady. You will be missing that party." There was finality in her voice as she picked up Hotaru and placed her on the floor. "Now, go to your room." 

Hotaru paused for a moment as if she would again object, but she knew if she pushed any further she would only make things worse. Without looking back she ran up the stairs and locked herself in her room.

Sebastian sat across from Etsumi waiting for her to finish her synthetic blood. Tonight was the night he was going to ask the tough questions. He felt that he did a good job of building a relationship with her yesterday.

"Etsumi, who changed you into a vampire?" Sebastian asked officially starting the interrogation.

Etsumi placed down her glass and wiped the blood from her lips. "He goes by Leo. I'm not sure what his real name is."

"Did he tell you why he wanted to make you into a vampire?" Sebastian prodded. 

Etsumi looked at Sebastian and shook her head. "Why should I tell you anything? You don't really care about me. All you want is information on my maker."

"True I want information about your maker." Sebastian conceded. "That doesn't mean I don't care about you. You were made a vampire against your will and then left to fend for yourself. That's unfair to you." 

"Who said I was abandoned by my maker?" Etsumi countered. "You assume to much Sebastian."

"Forgive me. Most maker's don't let vampire as young as you out alone.

Etsumi laughed at Sebastian ignorance. "You know nothing."

Sebastian leaned forward locking his eyes on Etsumi. "Then enlighten me." 

"Fine." Etsumi said in defiance. "My maker made me into a vampires so I could be apart of his army. He taught me to feed on and kill humans. He taught me that vampires were superior to humans and thus we deserved to rule the world. He promised me and my sibling vampires complete power and freedom if we succeed."

Months of searching had lead to this moment. Sebastian was so close to the answers he desired. "Succeed in what?" 

"A coup." Etsumi replied and then with a sudden burst of violence pushed the table that separated her and Sebastian.

Sebastian stood up and put distance between him and Etsumi. "What are you doing Etsumi?" 

Etsumi dropped to her knees and produced a wooden stake from her underneath her pant leg. "Everyone here will meet the true death soon. You're apart of the system my maker means to destroy. He's powerful, but not as powerful as the one leading this revolution. Either way I will not be apart of this war." Etsumi placed the tip of the stake over her heart.

"Don't do this Etsumi. You don't have to follow your maker. We can provide you a life without killing human." Sebastian said as he held out his hand to Etsumi desperately trying to persuade her.

Etsumi let out a painful and desperate laugh as fresh blood tears ran down her face. "There is no saving me. I am damned the moment I became a vampire."

"It's not true. Many vampire live moral and loving lives." Sebastian pleaded. 

"Lucky for them." Etsumi said with venom in her voice. "I killed my mother, father, and younger sister at the request of my maker. He believed I should leave no ties behind. I told you I was damned." With that final declaration Etsumi thrusted the wooden stake into her chest.

Sebastian watched as Etsumi body disintegrated into a pile of blood, sinew, and skin on to the floor. The door behind Sebastian opened and Cato and Samrawit entered. 

"What happened?" Cato asked as he looked at the large bloodstain before him.

"She killed herself." Sebastian said in shock. "Get to your Shogun. She is in danger. The entire Japanese court is in danger. "

Minako walked up to Usagi's door and pressed the doorbell with her finger. Nightfall had set in two hours ago and Minako was surprised to see no lights on in Usagi's home. Not even the front door light was on. The rest of the inner Senshi stood behind Minako preparing themselves to confront Usagi.

After waiting a few minutes it became clear that Usagi was not home. "Well, what is plan B?" Minako asked as she turned around to the group.

"I say we stay until she comes home." Rei said while sitting down on the front step. 

"I agree. She has to come home eventually." Ami said as she sat down next to Rei. 

Makoto reached into her tote bag and pulled out a thermos with four coffee cups. "Lucky for everyone I came prepared. I brought coffee and scones."

"That's our Mako-chan." Minako beamed with joy. "Always keeping us well fed."

Outside club Akuryou Usagi, Jack, and Tetsuya watched from across the street as a large group of vampires filed into the club. The vampire blood had fully healed Usagi of her wounds and she could feel the vampire blood still coursing through her system. Usagi had sprayed her entire body with the vampire spray she had bought at Layanka's store. To further cover her human scent she dressed in leather top to bottom. A high collar leather jacket covered her neck and Usagi had neatly tied her hair into two tight buns. Usagi was confident that her efforts had worked because Tetsuya could not tell she was human by her scent. Usagi had also stopped by the Tokyo Slayer hide out to pick up her sword, a stake, and a few knives. 

"Are you sure you want to do this." Tetsuya asked as he mentally counted the number of vampires entering the building. "The odds do not appear to be in our favor."

"The odds are never in my favor." Usagi said wryly. "Yet, I always survive."

"Well, I'm going on record stating you're crazy." Tetsuya said as he gently nudged Usagi with his shoulder.

Usagi gave Tetsuya a quizzical look. "Record? I'm not keeping a record."

"I'm speaking metaphorically." Tetsuya explained. "So when this goes bad I can say 'I told you so' and point to this moment."

Usagi laughed. "So noted. I would like to go on record that you have no faith."

"Noted." Tetsuya replied. 

Usagi, Jack, and Tetsuya walked up to the club and got in line. The line moved quickly and before she knew it she was at the door. The bouncer looked over Usagi and then Tetsuya. Usagi was afraid she had already been caught when the bouncer stopped Usagi and Tetsuya from entering.

"No dogs." The bouncer said in a gruff voice as he pointed to Jack.

Usagi gave Jack a quick pat on the head before pointing to a lamppost across the street. "Sorry, Jack. Looks like you are waiting outside." 

Jack for once didn't growl or whine he just walked across the street and sat by the lamppost. Usagi was grateful he didn't put up a fight.

As they walk through the door it was clear the club had been converted for a large gathering. At the back of the club was a stage that was partially concealed by a large red curtain. All the tables had been removed leaving a large space in front of the stage. The entire club was filled with vampires both on the ground floor and second floor that lined the building.

Tetsuya tapped Usagi on the shoulder and point to a door at the back of the room. Above the door a neon red sign read exit. "I think we should be as close as we can to an exit." Tetsuya whispered.

Usagi nodded and they positioned themselves next to the door as the club continued to fill with other vampires.

After and hour a vampire appeared on stage and addressed the crowd. "Good night my fellow sympathizers. I welcome all my bother and sisters who are like minded in our common belief of vampire superiority."

The crowd began to cheer only encouraging the vampire to continue with his speech. "For so long we have followed the rules of the shoguns. Denied our right to hunt and feed. Denied the pleasures of our very nature. And why?"

"Because of the humans!" A male vampire yelled from the crowded which was met with applause.

"That's right!" The vampire on stage said. "The authority believes that humans have become too many. That if we we're to hunt and kill as we did in the past the human would rise up and kill us."

The crowd began to boo and heckle the vampire on stage and he held up his hands. "I don not believe this of course, but that is what the shoguns have said and that's why we must coexist with humans. I would like to introduce you to someone that believes differently. His name is Leodes. Some of you know him better as Leo." 

A short stalky man walked up to the front of the stage and scanned the crowed. His hair was brown, semi-curly, and cut in way that it framed his face. Adding to his neat yet scruffy look was his matching beard that was short and not fully-grown in all areas. 

"My fellow vampires I call on you to search your conscience. There is a struggle with in vampire society about the very nature of our being. For centuries we have infiltrated human communities for the purpose to hunt and gain power. Humans were not our equals, but ours to feed off of and control. We had the ultimate power. Now the authority and other mainstreamers want us to fall in line and join humans as equals."

The crowd again began to boo and yell obscenities at Leo's last statement. Usagi shifted uncomfortably as she watch the crowd's reaction. She had naively thought that all vampires were like Sebastian. She thought that most vampires fed only to survive and genuinely wanted to live a peaceful life with humans. She was beginning to think that coming to this vampire gathering was a bad idea.

Leo smiled at the crowd's response and continued his speech. "Good. I'm happy to hear I am among friends. Let me tell you more about myself. I was born in Rome and was a solider in Julius Cesar army during his campaign in Gaul. It was my bravery on the battlefield that granted me the privilege of being made into a vampire. My maker who is far older and wiser than I am blessed me with immortality. He is troubled by the authority 's new political leanings. He would like vampires to remain in their rightful place of superiority." Leo extended his arm to his left and lifted so it was pointing upwards and behind him.

Usagi followed Leo's cue and saw a vampire sitting on the second floor. In a large hand carved wooden chair sat an imposing figure. The lack of lighting to his facial features prevented Usagi from identifying her new enemy.

Leo turned his attention back to the crowd. "My maker would like you all to join us in our struggle to overthrow the Shoguns of Japan and show vampires around the world that we will not adhere to the authority's current laws."

The crowd broke out into roaring applause and it seemed that Leo and his maker had their new army. 

Usagi felt as Tetsuya leaned closer to her right ear and whispered, "We need to leave now."

As Usagi nodded in response the vampire in front of her slowly turned around to face her. Her nostrils flared as she bared her fangs. "Human." The vampire uttered causing a ripple effect to the vampires surrounding around her. She now had 10 vampires aware of her human presence.

The vampire began to approach and Usagi pushed Tetsuya against the door shielding him as she reached into her inner coat pocket pulling out the vampire mace. She rolled the spray can towards the vampires and struck the can with an energy ball causing the can to explode and spray liquid silver into the crowd. The vampires stopped in their tracks howling in pain as the liquid silver burned their skin. Tetsuya used the distraction to grab Usagi by the arm and pulled her through the exit. Usagi was half way through the exit when she felt a sharp pain on her right flank. She barely had time to react before Tetsuya pulled her into the alley. 

Tetsuya started to run holding tightly onto Usagi hand. They only made it 10 feet before a vampire from the club caught up to them. The vampire struck Usagi in the back and she collapsed to ground screaming in pain. Tetsuya turned around and punched the offending vampire. Usagi reached for her stake on her belt and quickly handed into to Tetsuya who was standing protectively over her. At that moment the vampire had regained his senses and rushed at Tetsuya and Usagi. Tetsuya used his vampire speed to stake the vampire when he was within reach. The vampire stumbled back clutching his chest and then exploded spraying blood in all directions.

Tetsuya quickly helped Usagi to her feet and guided her towards the alley exit. 

Haruka turned down Usagi's street in her yellow Ferrari with her partner Michiru in the passenger seat. Michiru had remained quiet the entire trip. Haruka had been brought up to date on Hotaru's little adventure. She was surprised by her little princess's behavior as she rarely disobeyed her parents. When she went to talk to Hotaru in an attempt to find her daughter's motives for breaking the house rules She found Hotaru very distressed and distant. She had got very little information from her.

Haruka stopped the car in front of Usagi's house and looked over to Michiru. Haruka suspected Michiru was suffering from parental guilt and that was the reason she was so quite. Taking her lovers hand she gently squeezed her hand in reassurance. Michiru turned and gave Haruka a warm smile.

"Shall we go check on our accident prone princess?" Haruka asked. 

Michiru nodded and unbuckled her seatbelt. "I think that is apart of our job description as sailor guardians."

Haruka laughed as she exited the vehicle. Michiru joined her side as the walked towards Usagi's front door. The sight of the inner Senshi sitting on the front steps stopped them.

"Hey, why are you sitting out here?" Haruka asked the group as she scanned Usagi's house.

"We wanted to speak to Usagi, but she's not home." Makoto responded with a shrug.

"That can't be." Michiru said in disbelief. "I dropped her off earlier today and she had a bad sprained ankle. There's no way she could walk on it."

Rei stood up in alarm when she heard that Usagi was injured. "How did she get injured?"

"She said she tripped. She also had a bad cut on her leg." Michiru explained. "I tried to convince her to go to the hospital, but she said it wasn't that bad. We're here to check up on her."

The inner Senshi shared concerned looks with each other. Haruka watched the inner Senshi response with curiosity. "There's something you guys are not telling us. What's going on?" Haruka gently pushed the younger women. 

"Usagi has not been attending summer school. She unregistered for her classes before they even started. That's why we're here. To confront her." Ami said bluntly. Her words were thick with disappointment.

Haruka and Michiru stood in silence completely in shock.

"That's not all." Minako said as she stood up next to Rei and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Tell them about your dreams." 

Haruka and Michiru turned their attention to Rei and waited for the miko to speak.

"I've had this recurring dream that Usagi is running from something. I don't know what she is running from but she is very scared. I have been doing fire readings, but I can't see what's chasing her." Rei looked down ashamed about her failure. 

Michiru and Haruka shared a knowing glance. Hotaru had the same dream, which they had blown off as just a nightmare. If Rei was having the same dream it was likely that these dreams were actually a warning sign.

"I think we need to speak to Usagi right away. Hotaru has had a similar dream about Usagi and I think it's a sign that we have a new enemy." Haruka said to the group. "I fear we have a new battle ahead of us." 

Tetsuya half carried Usagi with her left arm over his neck and his right arm secure around her waist. He did his best to push Usagi to run because vampires were likely on their trail. Usagi was bleeding from her right flank and that was likely the reason she was slow in her pace. At some point in the escape Jack had joined them and was following close behind them. Tetsuya knew he had to find a place to hide Usagi as she could not run much longer.

Usagi felt woozy as she tried to keep pace with Tetsuya. While she was running it became apparent that she was bleeding from a wound on her right side. She could feel the blood running down her leg and soaking her shirt and jeans.

Tetsuya smiled when he recognized a familiar entrance. In from of him the entrance to the Golden Gai. This six alley section of the city was known for it's shack like bars catering to different taste. Tetsuya had a bar in this area that he visited frequently thanks to his fake ID. 

Holding Usagi tightly around her waist Tetsuya removed Usagi arm from around his neck. " Usagi, were going to hide out in one of these bars. I know one of the bar tenders. Just follow my lead."

Usagi nodded in understanding as they entered they enter the Golden Gai. Walking down the narrow streets Usagi tried her best to remain alert and focused, but she felt so lightheaded that she feared she would pass out at any moment. Each bar appeared to be filled with patrons and Usagi was beginning to wonder if they could find a place to hide.

Usagi's question was answered when Tetsuya opened the door to one of the bars and escorted inside. The bar was extremely tiny and could maybe fit six people at most in the bar.

"Tetsuya!" The bartender yelled with excitement as Usagi and Tetsuya entered the bar. "Where have you been? I haven't seen you in weeks."

"Just busy with work. I would like you to meet my girlfriend Usagi." Tetsuya said as he gave her a little squeeze.

"Nice to meet you." The bartender said with a smile and Usagi responded with a polite hello.

"Hey, is the upstairs open?" Tetsuya asked. 

"No. But for you I can make an exception." The bartender said with a wink as he lifted the bar so they could walk to the steep steps located behind the bar.

"Thanks." Tetsuya walked Usagi to the steps and helped her to ascend the stairs. The upstairs was the size of a large closet and has a Moroccan type decor. Tetsuya gently helped lower Usagi onto one of the pillows. Sitting next to her Tetsuya again firmly wrapped his arms around her waist applying needed pressure to her wound.

Usagi winced when Tetsuya applied the pressure. In the beginning she had not felt the pain from her wound and she surmised it was due to the adrenaline coursing through her blood stream. Now that they were no longer in immediate danger the adrenaline was wearing off and an intense pain was setting in. Every breath was pure agony, but she was trying her best to keep a brave face in front of Tetsuya. She found this amusing because a few months ago she would cry like baby for any minor injury.

"What can I get you guys to drink?" The bartender asked from the stairwell.

"Gin neat and a cranberry vodka please." Tetsuya responded. When the bartender went back down the stairs Tetsuya turned to Usagi. "Let me see your wound."

Usagi slowly took off her leather jacket and turned her right side so that it was facing Tetsuya. She braced herself as Tetsuya gently lifted her shirt exposing a 6-inch gash on her right flank. "It's deep and bleeding a lot. Do you have that flask filled with vampire blood?"

Usagi shook her head. In her rush to prepare for the evening she had forgotten the silver flask with Sebastian's blood in the fridge. "I forgot it."

Tetsuya responded by using his fangs to cut his wrist. Once he started to bleed he smeared a thin coat of blood on Usagi's wound. Tetsuya's blood was weak in comparison to other vampire blood given that he was such a young vampire, but he hoped it would be strong enough to at least stop the bleeding.

Tetsuya heard the bartender returning and quickly lowered Usagi shirt before pulling her into a hug. 

"One gin neat and one cranberry vodka. Want me to put it on your tab?" The bartender asked as he place the drinks down on the small table in front of Usagi and Tetsuya.

"Yes. Thank you." Tetsuya said as he moved the drinks closer to him and Usagi.

After the bartender left Usagi raised her eyebrow at Tetsuya and with a teasing tone ask, "You have a tab?"

Tetsuya suppressed a smile as he handed Usagi the cranberry vodka. "I look straight laced but I have a rebellious side. No one is perfect. Drink, this it will help dull the pain."

Usagi took a sip of the drink and was relieved that it was not bitter. "Thank you." 

Tetsuya again lift Usagi's shirt and exposed the wound. To his relief it had stopped bleeding, but had not closed as he could see underlying muscles. "It stopped bleeding, but I should clean it so it does not get infected." Tetsuya picked up the gin and held it over Usagi's wound. "Ready?" 

"Yeah." Usagi said as braced herself. She tried to focus on her drink before her as a way to distract her from the pain she was about to experience. This technique proved useless as the intense burning pain caused her jump. She bit her lower lip to stop herself from screaming. After Tetsuya finished cleaning her wound he gentle lowered her shirt again.

"Sorry." Tetsuya said as he placed the glass down. "Let's stay here for 30 minutes and then we will get you home." 

Usagi nodded as she took a big swig of the cranberry vodka. The combination of the fighting and blood loss had taken its toll on her. Extreme fatigue set in as she leaned forward against the table. Tetsuya gently pulled Usagi towards him so she was leaning against him. He wrapped his arm her shoulder as he gave her a soft hug. In any other circumstance this would have been a very intimate gesture, but Usagi was too weak to concern herself with the nuances of social boundaries. 

Back at the Tokyo slayer head quarters Sidney sat at her desk going over the finances of Crisis. The gang's main source of income was this bar and the selling of vampire blood on the street. Many of the gang members did not know that selling vampire blood was a main source of income. Only high-ranking members were privy to the gang's finances.

Sidney was interrupted by a knock at the door. "Come in." 

Riley entered the room and approached Sidney at her desk. "We received the surveillance video from the zoo."

Sidney looked up from her books. "Thank you. Can you put it in the DVD player and press play." 

Riley did as she was told and put the DVD disc into the DVD player and queued up the video. Sidney had high hopes for Usagi and was not expecting to see anything that would make her distrust Usagi. She was so confident about Usagi's potential she had already planned to promote Usagi to the next level in the gang. Her affinity for Usagi only strengthened when she saw how well Usagi handled herself on her first two patrols.

The video continued to play and Sidney stood up as two figures entered the screen. Usagi was not alone and had another female with her. Sidney felt disappointment set in as she realized Usagi had not retrieved the stones on her own. Still she wasn't sure if she should kick Usagi out of the gang because she had a friend help her. If anything she may ask Usagi's friend to join the gang as they were always looking for new members.

This compromise was quickly shattered when she saw Usagi's friend take hold of a male lion by the throat and hurl the creature twenty feet. When she had hurled the lion the friend was gone from the screen faster than was humanly possible. Sidney clenched her fist and slammed it on her desk. The person she was looking to make a high-ranking member of her gang was actually her enemy.

Riley smiled as she watched the video. Usagi went from being her rival to being her enemy. Riley stood up to attention as waited for Sidney's command.

"Get the our patrol group together. We need to show the newbies what we do with traitors." Sidney said with particular malice in her voice.

"A you wish." Riley said as she bowed to her leader before leaving the room.

Sidney went over to her closet and opened the door revealing all her personal weaponry. Usagi was going to rue the day she decided to cross her.

Tetsuya sat on a midnight blue vespa with Usagi directly in front of him. He had stolen the scooter once they left the bar. Usagi was too weak to walk and it was too far for Tetsuya to carry her. Usagi had apologized to Jack for having to leave him behind and told him to walk home. Tetsuya was surprised when Jack followed her command as if he understood the gravity of the situation.

With his left hand securely around Usagi waist Tetsuya slowly drove Usagi home. After turning down Usagi's street Usagi yelled for Tetsuya to stop.

"What's wrong?" Tetsuya asked clearly confused by Usagi's sudden outburst.

Usagi pointed to a yellow car up the street. "See that car?"

"Yes." Tetsuya replied still very confused by Usagi distress.

"That Ferrari belongs to one of my friends. They can't see me like this. We have to turn around." Usagi said in a panic."

"I have to get you home." Tetsuya countered. "You need to drink that vampire blood you have at home. Most of all you need to rest." 

"No!" Usagi said firmly. "I can't show up like this in front of my friends. I am too weak to explain everything and to be honest I don't know how they will react to you. Plus I have another place we can go."

Tetsuya wasn't convinced that Usagi's plan was the right course of action, but he knew she would put up a fight. And Usagi would only further injure herself in that situation. "Fine, tell me where this place is." Tetsuya said as he turned the vespa around. 

Usagi guided Tetsuya to the one of the Tokyo Slayer hideouts. It was 2am in the morning and she knew it would be safe as most patrols ended around 1am. "We can stay here until it get closer to dawn. I doubt my friends will stay at my place all the way to the morning."

Tetsuya helped Usagi off the scooter before getting off himself. "Are you sure it's safe?"

"Yes. Patrols ended an hour ago." Usagi said using Tetsuya as a crutch as they walked to the front door. "Can you get the door? I don't have keys." Usagi said with a sheepish laugh.

Tetsuya rolled his eye in exasperation at the way this night was going. He was able to open the door with little difficulty and decided he should carry Usagi inside. Usagi didn't object to Tetsuya carrying her and was grateful for how compassionate Tetsuya was acting. Tonight only confirmed that Tetsuya was a good man and she was right in her choice to help him.

Inside Tetsuya laid Usagi on the couch and walked over to one of the closet to look for first aid supplies. He returned within a few minutes with bacitracin, gauze, and an ace bandage. "Usagi, can you please remove your jack and shirt. I want to dress your wound." Tetsuya asked as he set the supplies on the table next to the couch.

Usagi sat up and complied with Tetsuya request. She first removed her jacket and placed it on the ground. She then began to remove her shirt, but paused and turned around to see if Tetsuya was watching her. To her relief she saw that Tetsuya was facing away from Usagi to give her some privacy. Usagi removed her shirt and then used it to cover her breast. "I'm ready."

Tetsuya sat behind Usagi and began to apply the bacitracin to the wound. He tried to finish quickly as he could feel Usagi flinch every time he touch the wound. After applying the Bacitracin Tetsuya place two pieces gauze over the wound and used the large ace bandage to secure it by wrapping it around Usagi. 

Tetsuya stood up removed his jacket and then his shirt. He put his jacket back on and handed Usagi his shirt. "Take my shirt."

Usagi shirt was completely soaked in blood on the right side and Tetsuya shirt only had a few spots of blood on it. Dropping her shirt on the floor she put on Tetsuya shirt that was comically too big for her.

"You should rest now." Tetsuya said as he picked up Usagi's bloody shirt. "I will keep guard while you rest."

Usagi laid down on the couch. "Thank you. Wake me up at 4:30am. That should give us enough time to get home." 

Tetsuya nodded as he picked up a chair and placed it next to Usagi. Sitting down he watch as Usagi fell into a quick slumber.

"Guys, I don't think Usagi is coming home tonight." Minako said as she looked at her watch. It was 3am in the morning and there was still no sign of Usagi. "I think it's time we call it quits tonight. We can try again tomorrow."

Everyone silently agreed that staying any longer would be futile.

"I hope Usagi is ok." Ami said in a worried tone as she began to exit Usagi's premises with her fellow Senshi.

"She better have a good explanation for not coming home. What is she doing out this late anyway?" Rei yelled in a fiery tone completely ignoring Ami's previous statement. She was just as worried about Usagi, but at this moment she felt anger more than worry. 

"I agree." Haruka grumbled in solidarity with Rei's statement.

Michiru placed a hand on Ami's shoulder and gave it s squeeze. "I'm sure she is fine. Hopefully, tomorrow we will have better luck."

"I'm going to call her house and leave her a message." Makoto said as she pulled out her cell phone and began to dial the number. 

"Good idea. Tell her we have an emergency meeting tomorrow and we will meet her at her house around noon." Minako said. 

"Good idea." Makoto responded as she waited for the voicemail. "Hey, Usagi-chan this is Makoto. We have to have an emergency meeting tomorrow. It's very important and we will meet you at your house tomorrow at noon." 

Everyone said goodbye as they went there separate ways hoping they would be successful tomorrow. 

Usagi was awakened from her peaceful slumber by Tetsuya gently nudging her. "It's time to go."

Usagi stood up and was thankful that the rest had rejuvenated her significantly. She was still weak, but at least now she could stand and walk without assistance. "I'm going to get something from the weapons table before I leave." 

Tetsuya watched Usagi with curiosity as she walked over to a long stable and picked up a gun and some type of holster. "What kind of gun is that?"

Usagi put on the vest Holster on before putting her jacket back on. She then put the gun she picked up in the holster that hung around her left flank. "The gun shoots wooden bullets. Because I'm so weak I feel it will give me an advantage if we are attacked on our way home." 

The reasoning made sense so Tetsuya didn't ask any more questions on the matter. Tetsuya exited the hide out first and stood outside as he waited for Usagi. It didn't take long for Usagi to exit and Tetsuya turned his head around to ask Usagi if she wanted to ride on the back of the vespa this time.

Usagi was busy closing the door when she heard Tetsuya begin to speak. Before Tetsuya could finish his first word Usagi heard him grunt. The next thing she knew Tetsuya was stumbling backwards falling into Usagi. She quickly turned around and caught Tetsuya as he started to fall. Confusion turned to horror was she saw a metal object sticking out of Tetsuya's chest. Usagi followed the metal object until she saw Sidney standing over them with nothing but rage in her eyes. 

Before Usagi could utter a response Tetsuya began to arch his back and then disintegrated in Usagi's arm. Usagi fell backwards into the door as Tetsuya's blood and tissue covered her from head to toe. There was so much blood on her face that she was effectively blinded. She used her already bloody hands to wipe blood from her eyes.

When she opened her eyes Sidney stood over her with the blade pointed at her chest. "Don't move traitor."

Usagi froze in fear keeping her eyes locked on the blade that was targeted on her chest.

Meanwhile Keiko, Janice, and Hana watched from a short distance away unsure how to react. 

"Listen up newbies." Riley yelled at the new recruits. "Pay attention to what happens here tonight. This is the fate of anyone who aligns themselves with vampires." 

"I can't believe I was thinking of making you a high ranking member of my gang." Sidney said with disgust. "You betrayed our trust by using a vampire help you get the first stone and now you are bringing a vampire to our hide out! " Sidney spit on Usagi to show her how displeased she was.

Usagi looked up at Sidney and held up one of her hands. "Don't do this Sidney. Just let me go and I swear this is the last time you will see me."

Sidney laugh sinisterly as she applied pressure to Usagi's chest with the blade. "You won't get off that easily."

Usagi saw no empathy in Sidney at this moment and she realized she needed to get out of this situation and fast. Using the hand she had extended she created an energy ball and threw it at Sidney's sword hand. The force of the energy ball propelled the sword sideways sliding 10 feet away from Sidney. As Sidney clutched her hand in pain Usagi reached for her gun. Just as Usagi pulled the gun from the holster she felt a hand go around her throat and a knife press into her neck. 

Sidney was crouched in between Usagi's legs and she used her superior strength to pin Usagi against the wall with just her hand that was around her throat. "I don't know what you are, but you're definitely not human. Either way this gang is blood in blood out."

Usagi pressed the gun she had retrieved from the holster against Sidney's chest. "The second that knife pierces my skin is the second I pull this trigger."

Sidney paused and seem to be weighing her options. She had lost, but she didn't want to admit it. The sounds of police sirens in the distance forced her to make a decision. In one motion she released Usagi and stood up. Walking away she turned around staring Usagi down. "This is not over." She then left with the rest of the gang. 

Usagi sat for a moment seemingly unable to move. The sounds of the police sirens getting closer forced her to get up and slowly walk away.

Back at Usagi's house Jack paced back and forth frantically. He had made it back to her house and hour ago, but couldn't find Usagi. He was worried that Tetsuya and Usagi had been attacked on the way back, but he didn't know where to begin his search. Jack frantic thoughts were interrupted by the sound of someone entering the courtyard. To Jack's relief it was Usagi. His relief was quickly changed into concern when he saw the state Usagi was in.

Usagi walked past Jack with no recognition of his presence. She was covered in blood and had a dazed look. Jack scanned around and saw Tetsuya nowhere in sight. Usagi walked passed Jack and into her house. The gun in her right had acted as an anchor swaying ever so slightly as she walked. Usagi walked to the kitchen and placed the gun on the kitchen table. Opening the door she took one swig of the blood from the silver flask before returning it to the fridge. 

Usagi then walked passed the house phone and noticed the message light blinking. She pressed the button and listen to Makoto voice as she said they had scheduled an emergency meeting at her place tomorrow. Usagi could not process the new information she had just received so she continue on her journey upstairs. 

Jack followed behind Usagi as she ascended the stairs and walked to the bathroom. Usagi shut the door before Jack could enter and he heard the door lock. Inside the bathroom Usagi looked at herself in the mirror and saw her baby blue eyes piercing through a blood red canvas. What appeared to a piece of skin hung from one of Usagi's odangos and all she could due was stare. Was this real? She thought to herself as she stared at this piece of skin. Only an hour ago she had been in Tetsuya's presence and now all that was left of him was the blood that covered her and the piece of skin that hung from her hair. Usagi carefully picked the skin from her hair and brought it in front of her to exam it. 

How strange it was that a living being could be reduced to such a simple structure. Usagi tossed the skin into the trashcan before she began to peel the blood soaked clothes from her body. The cool air on her naked body should have caused some emotional or physical reaction yet she felt nothing. Turning on the shower Usagi stepped inside and let the warm water wash in grotesque grime of the day off. Without warning she began to feel a pressure in her chest and a lump in her throat. Breaking through to the surface was a pain worse than any wound she received in battle. Her knees gave out and she slid to the floor as the warm water rained on top of her. Unable to hold it any longer she let out a cry that came from deep with in her.

On the other side of the door Jack could hear her anguish cries penetrating through. Jack shifted to his human form and held his hand against the door as if to provide the comfort Usagi so desperately needed. He walked away from the door and into Usagi's room. He quickly picked up Usagi's phone and dialed Sebastian's number. The connection went straight to voicemail and Jack cursed under his breath. After the beep Jack left an urgent message for Sebastian. "I don't know what's going on in Sapporo, but you need to get back to Tokyo now. Vampire society is about to fall apart and Usagi is in danger."


End file.
